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#1138233 05/20/04 01:15 PM
Joined: May 2004
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Juke123 Offline OP
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Found evidence of my wife's affair last Monday the 10th. I knew something was up besides what she had been telling me was wrong. After I told her that I knew she started talking divorce right away and didn't show much remorse for the whole thing. I said she couldn't live at our house while this was going on and that she really needs to think about what she is doing. So she left and is now living at his place. I am trying to do plan B now and avoid all contact, but every couple of days she shows up to get something when I am there or calls. I am starting to be disgusted by her. I told her I have forgiven her and that we should go to counseling together to save the marriage. She won't go. I am soo hurt by this because she is completly cold to me now despite what she did. We are/or were best friends. I know she still loves me, but love has to do more with behavior than feelings and this is not a loving behavior. Should I bother waiting for her affair to fizzle and for her to try and resolve things or just get divorced and move on. This all just happened within the last few weeks. That's how short this is and she is willing to throw it all away for a guy she barely knows. CRAZY! I feel like I can't count or trust in anyone if the beautiful wife and best friend betrayed me. This is a NIGHTMARE!

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Juke - you're not ready for Plan B.

It was a mistake to ask her to leave, so invite her back.

Even if she doesn't take you up on your offer, read up on Plan A and all the other info on this site.

Please tell us your ages, kids ages, whether you know the OM (other man) and things you believe were wrong in your marriage preceeding the affair.

Here's my canned version of what Plan A is about:

The way I understand Plan A, it's based on two premises that must be accepted:

1. The BS cannot end the affair.

2. The affair developed, to some extent great or small, due to a poor marital environment which the BS, to some extent great or small, contributed to.

If a BS cannot accept these two statements as givens, they will not be able to implement Plan A.

With these facts established, there is only one constructive thing a BS can do to influence the course of an affair: change the affair-friendly marital environment by eliminating the BS contributions to it.

To this end, the BS must perform an introspective search for all the things they were doing or not doing that contributed to the WS's decision to have an affair - and then eliminate those negative contributions. These may include failure to meet emotional needs or disbursing too many love busters - but is usually some combination of both.

This DOES NOT mean that the BS "caused" the affair. This DOES NOT mean that the BS can or should try to change failings of the WS.

It simply means that the BS needs to change and improve the only thing they have control over - themselves - to eliminate love busters and begin meeting as many emotional needs of the WS as they can.

Central in this is stopping all disrespectful judgements, angry outbursts, and demands. This is agonizingly difficult in the face of an affair. A BS has to counter the common knee jerk reactions of demanding the WS "straighten up" and delivering ultimatums and threats. Acting in this fashion simply reinforces the WS's rationalizations to conduct the affair in the first place - because the marriage "is over" or expendable and the spouse is unreasonable, therefore the affair is justifiable.

Invariably, this course leads BSs to feel like doormats and [censored] kissers. It also conjures up thoughts of enabling the affair by not resisting it. But the better logic to apply is that the BS isn't a doormat or enabling because they're doing the only things in their power to stop the affair - it's just counterintuitive to the initial reactions. This doesn't mean that boundaries shouldn't be set and protective measures shouldn't be taken.

Let me add that Plan A is all about the BS. You do not "Plan A" your WS. It is not intended to change ANYTHING but the BS.

I'll end this by offering that there is one additional thing a BS can do to alter the course of the affair - but I call it "destructive" rather than "constructive" (to separate it from the one and only constructive thing, discussed above). It's to expose the affair to the light of day. But this is NOT part of Plan A and deserves it's own discussion.

OK, one more thing. The affair is very, very likely to end DESPITE what the BS does or does not do. Until it ends, there is NO chance for reconciliation. Ideally, Plan A improvements can encourage the WS to end the affair sooner because the spouse's "causes" of it are eliminated. But regardless, following Plan A prepares the BS for a successful reconciliation whenever and for whatever reason the affair ends by jump starting the process - their share of pre-existing marital problems are already confronted.

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Juke123 Offline OP
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The thing is that she didn't want to stay anyway. I invited her back. He had already offered her a room at his house. I tried the whole, I realize that I have not met your emotional needs in certain ways thing. I realize that now. It doesn't justify what she did because she didn't meet all of mine either. She is still young 23, I am 26 and this guy and her new friends are partyers. She is already moved mostly in over there and getting the rest of her stuff tomorrow. She has her heart set on the divorce it seems. We didn't have major marital problems. She just wanted more attention than what I was giving her I guess. I used to say I love you almost everyday and tell her how beautiful she was etc., so it's not like a was completely shut off to her. She seems to really be into and blinded by this guy like there is nothing I can do to get thru to her. He is the complete opposite of me, he is arrogant, has tattoos, smokes, black hair, and is obsessed with partying. Right now I am being friendly with her, but it isn't helping anything except her being generous in the divorce etc. I feel like all my hopes and dreams have been destroyed because she was so a part of my life and my best friend. I feel as if she knows what she is doing is wrong, but cannot stop her negative behavior and is trying hard to justify it.

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Kids?


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