Divorce sucks.

Seems pretty obvious, right?  Divorce sucks.  

Well, it's supposed to.  That's the point.  Stay married because divorce sucks.

You're weak if you give up on your marriage.  You're a coward if you run away from your commitments, especially the one to give your children an intact home.  There's no problem so insurmountable, no reason so set in stone, no excuse that makes divorce excusable.

Except what if there is?  What if you fought like hell until you were broken beyond repair?  What if the home you were holding onto was nothing you want those children to move into on their own?  What if divorce is the only answer?

Nope.  Even then, divorce sucks.

It's watching their little faces disappear behind an old apartment door.

It's late night pleas to come give them hugs.

It's excited squeals when he promises them the world.

It's their first firsts that happened on his weekend.

It's arguing over things that never mattered before he packed up his truck.

It's lonely Sunday mornings spent crying in a quiet house that never felt so empty.

It's realizing his control didn't walk out the door with him, it's only gotten stronger.

And.  It.  Sucks.

There are good and valid reasons for divorce.  There are situations so desperate that there really is no other answer.  There are people trying really hard to do the right thing for their children, even in the face of a crowd yelling that they're wrong.

And there are people who, despite the monumental effort it takes at each step, still think sometimes it isn't worth the fight.  Who still sometimes wonder if they shouldn't have just stayed.  People who get so worn down in the struggle.  Who just want divorce to not suck for ten minutes.

If you ask me, and some actually have, don't get divorced.  If you're just tired of the way he ignores you or tired of the way she treats you, stay for as long as you can.  Show up and stand in your marriage, even past the point you marked in the sand as "breaking".

Because divorce sucks.  A lot.