Hi!
Yes, people can stay happily married. Dave and I have been married for 29 years. I married him when I was 17 and he was 22. We were engaged at Christmas of my senior year and married in June. I always knew he was my soulmate, from the first time he kissed me. I started dating at 13 and had kissed other guys, but the first kiss told me. In fact, when I was 5 I walked up to my mom and said "When I grow up, I will marry a David" She asked why I thought that and I said "I don't know why, I just know."
We did not do things by "the rules". We choose to marry young, even though everyone said it would not work out to do so. We knew we did not want kids, so one of us was sterilized. Have not regretted that for even one day. We did not buy a home until I was almost 30, and then we did it backwards....buying a lakehome for weekends and retirement. After 10 years, we sold it and bought a house in the city where we work. It may not have been how most couples do it, but we followed OUR desires, not theirs.
Neither of us had sex til each other (of course I was still young and was after him all the time to "do it" and finally he did a week before my 16th birthday). Before we did it we prayed to God and asked him to marry us then. I believe He did. We used birth control always, even though all kinds of friends were not.
Then, when I turned 45 I went nuts. My hormones were CRAZY. I wanted sex all the time, about 3 or 4 times a day. Now Dave was 50 and he could make love once a day but I knew that was even unusual for a 50 year old, so I did not want to hurt his feelings and tell him I wanted more. So, dumb me, I started an internet affair. With a dub. And, no, I don't miss him anymore, but I did when I took this name. This site helped me quite a bit.
My husband stuck with me even though I told him I loved both him and the dub. It ended and took alot of therapy for me to get my head back together. There was some real lying and emotional abuse that took place. My husband never left me and talked to me as much as I needed about this person. To this day, I cannot believe his strength through it. He is the strongest, most faithful person I know.
He is honest, funny, handsome, my best friend and GREAT in bed. Also, he knows what stupid decisions I can make and still he loves me. ROFL.
And, let me tell you....I am now 47 and our sex life ROCKS. Oh my God......I liked sex before but this? This is to die for. We are totally comfortable with whatever the other wants, including dressing up in costumes (like a cowboy and saloon girl, etc) but WE DO NOT HAVE SEX WITH OTHERS OR INCLUDE OTHERS. Now, I am not saying maybe others can't do this and be happy, but we could not. Someone asked though, how sex is when you hit middle age.....baby....you don't really know HOW to do it until 45!
I thank God that Dave stayed with me AND that I did not actually meet this other person. He was a liar and a coward. Was married and lied about that, too, even when I ended up in hospital almost dead, he kept up the charade and even called me there. He was a witness from Columbia, TN. I won't name names but if anyone is from there, you probably know who the most charming man in your Hall is and also the biggest liar. I did end up calling his wife. Many of you will think that was wrong, but you don't know all the details. This man had to be stopped. Now, if she stays it is she that is the fool, not I.
Marriage for me has been a fantastic journey, and I took a wrong turn, but got back on the right path before the Big Bad Wolf actually got to get into my, ummm,,,,,picnic basket. lol