Posts under ‘healing’

Starbucks

Image credit: Photo by
brownpau on Flickr
Licensed under Creative Commons

Just days before I discovered my husband Mark's sex addiction, we were shopping in Target, when we passed a young woman.  "Hi, Mark!" she chimed, smiling brightly.  Then she turned to her shopping companion, a man who was glowering at Mark, and said, "Jimmy, this is my [...]

Killing Me Softly

Image credit: Photo by
Estrella Esteve on Flickr
Licensed under Creative Commons

"I can't hear this song without thinking of you," I said to Mark as The Cure's "Just Like Heaven" came on my music mix a few days ago.  It reminded me of falling in love with him in college: how he made me scream, and laugh, [...]

Looking Back

Image credit: Art by
jeloid on Flickr
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I started keeping a journal semi-regularly when I was in middle school.  My very earliest journal entries are a thrilling roller coaster ride through the life of a suburban tween: from the heartbreaking lows of the cancellation of my favorite TV show to the giddy highs of [...]

What Are You Going to Do Now?

Image credit: Photo by
Frank Peters on Flickr
Licensed under Creative Commons

I shared in a meeting recently about my fear around my husband's business trips and how that fear is a reminder to me to connect with my Higher Power. After the meeting a newcomer asked me what I'm going to do now: I mean, he's [...]

The Man in the Mirror

I roll my eyes as a cluster of neon clad girls buzz, "The way the sidewalk lights up as he walks is so cool! I love that song." Michael Jackson and that stupid Billie Jean video. Cool? Whatever. He's so overrated. I mean, if you wanted to talk about enduring cool, who could [...]

Don’t Take My Kodachrome Away

Image credit: Photo by
[xinita] is Oliver Twist! on Flickr
Licensed under Creative Commons

When I found out about my husband's sexual addiction, it felt like my emotional landscape faded from bright vivid color to monochrome shades of black and grey. I had three primary emotional settings: fear, anger (shading into full on rage) and heartbreaking sadness. [...]

Finding God Together

Image credit: Photo by
ashley.adcox on Flickr
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"Do you remember what you said to me when I first started talking about God?" Mark asked the other day, "You said, 'I am willing to try to work through this sex addiction crap, but if you ever become a Christian, I swear, I will leave you!'"
"Really? [...]

Recovery is Sexy

Image credit: Photo by
Eternal ☼ Sunshine on Flickr
Licensed under Creative Commons

It was raining the night I first kissed my husband. The wind was hissing and howling through the bare branches of the trees, rattling the last of the dead leaves still clinging to their posts. Before we kissed, we twined our hands together [...]

In Which I Wish Addiction (and Recovery) on the World

Image credit: Photo by
JustinLowery.com on Flickr
Licensed under Creative Commons

This weekend, for the first time in my life, I had the opportunity to hear a sex addict from my husband's recovery group speaking about his experiences. I know my husband's story, about as intimately as anyone else can; in a way, it's my story too. [...]

No Answers

Image credit: Detail of a photo by
Carla216 on Flickr
Licensed under Creative Commons

This week, when our family pet went missing and later turned up dead, I did an obsessive imitation of some of my favorite literary detectives; like Sherlock Holmes, I tried to piece together the smallest clues and like Hercule Poirot, I strained the little [...]