Eventually, the divorce was finalized and the financial matters were resolved through the appropriate legal process. I didn’t get every outcome exactly the way I had imagined, but something inside me had changed. I was no longer terrified of losing Gary, because I finally understood that the man I thought I was losing had already chosen to leave.

I began spending time on things I had once considered unnecessary. I bought flowers for my kitchen, worked in my garden, helped my sister, and took my children out for simple meals. For years, I had felt guilty whenever I spent money on myself. Now I understood that being responsible didn’t mean constantly denying my own happiness.