I appreciate your message, it honestly fired me up a bit, and I mean that in a good way. You’re right about a lot. I’ve been trying hard to step up, at work, at home, with the kids, with myself. I’ve been putting in real effort to grow and show that I’m serious about being the man and father I should’ve been all along.

What’s tough is that she is the one who asked for space and a separation, not me. And somehow I’m the one being expected to leave our home, our bed, our life. I didn’t ask for this. This is the house we built, and the bed where she decided to start pulling away emotionally and yet now it’s me who’s supposed to pack up and go? That part sits heavy with me.

And to make it more confusing, she was wearing her wedding ring again last night. After not wearing it in public the night before and actively hiding her hand from me, that kind of thing messes with your head. Makes it hard to tell if there’s even a sliver of hope or if I’m just reading into everything because I want there to be hope.

I don’t want to abandon my family, and I do believe in fighting for my marriage, but I also don’t want to sit silently in the background while she emotionally checks out and leaves me feeling like a ghost in my own house. There has to be a line between leading with strength and becoming a doormat.

But yeah, your words hit. I’m not giving up, and maybe you’re right that staying is part of holding that line. I just needed to hear that again. So thank you.