How close I came to making a total wreck of my life I'll probably never know. When I went to work for the U.S. Government, I met Al Larson at the USO. Within six months we were married and on our way to a naval base in California. I was 18. Although I had been raised to be "religious," my husband had no such training. He was a good man, but he...

Peter and I were high-school sweethearts. I was a cheerleader and Peter was a basketball player on the opposing team. As I watched him play, I couldn't help asking my friend, Lois, "Who is that guy?" I soon found out. The day after my high-school graduation I married him. We were very young; I like to say that we grew up together; however, the...

For the first twelve years of my life, I grew up unconsciously trying to please - whether it was teachers, friends or my parents. My dad was an alcoholic, and our home was like a roller coaster based on his moods. My parents divorced when I was 12 and I learned to be very independent. I went to work part time to help Mom out with the finances. I...

Forgive and forget. It’s a well-worn cliché - one that is easier to say than to practice. If you’re married, you’ve been there. Your spouse has said or done something that has wounded you. It may be something small, or it may be a major betrayal. Either way, your pride screams at you to take revenge. If you don’t strike back immediately,...

As an Officer Cadet, it was not difficult to get dates. The uniform and the invitations to military balls ensured a steady supply of girls who were willing to date me. Kingston also had a hospital with a resident nurse’s training program and a civilian university, so there were always girls living away from home and seeking companionship. I...

How could she forgive the woman who had gone after her husband and ultimately married him? I thought about her. I dreamed about her. I saw her in every woman I met. Some had her name, Cathy. Others her deep-set blue eyes or her curly dark hair. Even the slightest resemblance turned my stomach into a knot. I felt trapped with my thoughts Weeks,...

When the truth was revealed about my husband Will’s secret life*, I was devastated beyond comprehension. The enormity of the betrayal and deceit was unforgivable—12 years of lies! The phone call from the other woman’s husband left me in shock, unable to view anything rationally or move forward in any capacity of life. I could barely function:...