I don't know what advice to give your here. (Before you read this, remember, we all get old and need one another, we all married each other because we loved ......children always feel secure with parents together....
My parents were married in 1955......my mother's mantra was, if Jehovah loves him, I can too.
My mother came from North Dakotah the last of 7 children and made her way at aged 17 in a large city. She was introduced to my Father by one of her brothers. My dad had fallen in love years earlier, and the parents shipped the girl off to another state. We still don't know if we have a half brother or sister.
So here is the bottom line.....My parents struggled, my father adored my mother but couldn' t seem to measure up spiritually on a regular bases, despite the fact that he was made an elder.
He worked many hours when we were young, probably 50 to 60 hours a week. He was a professional painter and wall paper hanger for a major firm in Chicago. He would come home and wash himself in Benzene at about 7:00pm and then eat, and then have to perform some kind of study, or attend a meeting. He left at 6:00 am. every morning.
Dad loved TV and would come get me, the oldest, to come watch with him. I remember many a program including the Beetles on the Ed Sullivan show and also a beautiful song on the Andy Williams show...something about moon river....it haunted me all my life.
As I grew older....
He had horrible mood swings, and would not speak to the family for an entire week, slamming doors, pouting etc., it would come to a peak before meetings, with a wild, angry, car ride to the hall. Afterwards dad would be all calmed down, sweet and a love to all of us.
Mom always said it was the truth that calmed him......
In later years we were to find out that dad had Bi Polar Disease and Alcoholism.
Do I recommend divorce? Unless there is abuse or no financial suppport I would say no
Dad worked his tail off, became a major supervisor in his company and earned a Dr's salary in his later years.
He received close to 1/2 million from his 401K plus he saved untold dollars which has supported my mother and the society over the past few years.
My Point being to all of this, despite my fathers illnesses, I was influenced by a powerful man, that I might not of had if my mother left him. (Which she threatened to do many times) He was so proud of me in the end and it has given me unending confidence in myself. He was not an easy man to please, he was extremely intelligent, ....when you got his approval it was beyond belief...My father always adored me, and gave me more confidence in myself than I could have earned on my own in a lifetime.
Should you stay married?....Try.....if you have children?....can you see the difference you can make?
A daughter of an unhappy marriage.
r