So, get thismy husband left me after eleven years of marriage, and honestly, the reason he gave was almost laughably straightforward: he claimed Id stopped looking after myself. Thats what he said, anyway. According to him, it had been building up for some time, even though hed never so much as hinted at it before.
Back when we first met, I really did make an effort every daymakeup, thoughtfully chosen clothes, hair always done I had a job, a social life, I could actually carve out a little time for myself. Then, of course, the children arrived, life settled into routines, and the responsibilities just stacked up. I kept working, but suddenly I was also running the home, sorting out meals, cleaning, organising doctors appointmentsyou know, that endless invisible work that actually keeps a family afloat.
My days started before six and didnt end until well after midnight. More often than not, Id leave the house without a scrap of makeup simply because I couldnt find the time. Id throw on the first clean thing in my wardrobenot because Id stopped caring, but because I was absolutely shattered. Meanwhile, hed get home, eat, watch telly, and fall asleep on the sofa. He never once asked how I was doing, or if I could use a hand.
Slowly the remarks began to pile up. Comments about me not making the same effort as I used to. Asking why I didnt wear dresses anymore. Hinting that I looked a bit run down. I thought these were just one-off comments, honestly. It never crossed my mind that they would become a reason for him to walk out. He never sat me down and said, I dont feel close to you anymore, or Maybe we should talk. He just one day packed his bags.
On the day he left, he told me directly: that he didnt feel the same way about me, that Id changed, that he missed the woman who made an effort to look good for him. I tried to remind him of everything Id done for our home, for the kids, for us. He just replied that it wasnt enough for him, that he wanted a wife he could be proud of.
He quietly packed up his things, and that was that. A few days later I found out he was already seeing someone else. Someone with no kids, who had time for the gym and could manage to look immaculate every day. And thats when it hit methe real issue was never just about the makeup.
Even now, I still get up early, still work, still keep my home together. I make an effort for myself when I fancy it, not because its expected of me. I didnt stop putting in the effort because I stopped lovingit was just that I was carrying the weight of a whole life. And despite all of that, he still chose to leave. I keep thinking about joining a gym, but wheres the time? Oh wellmaybe he never really wanted me at all.
