The news about the affair of John Edwards has been a hot topic of discussion lately. The emotions have ranged from total indifference to outright anger. I myself reacted with frustration that once again a man allowed his hormones to get the best of him and hurt his wife and children. I just don’t get it. When so much is at stake, why do you sleep with another woman?! Where is love, control, honor, discipline? And I simply have no patience for a woman who knowingly sleeps with another woman’s husband. So the guy is a scumbag and the mistress not much better…..But what about the wife? What should Elizabeth do?
Infidelity is nothing new. I myself had a front row seat to the infidelities in a few of my friends marriages. I learned then never to judge what a woman does when she discovers a husbands affairs. I had a friend who chose to stay and try to save her 20 year marriage; another who went on a mind-blowing shopping orgy; and another who finally walked out and never looked back. All of these women suffered over their decision and all of them made the right choice-for them. I myself don’t know what I would do. My husband was in the NFL for 12 years and always had access to groupies. He made a conscious choice not to go there. I am sure he was sorely tempted, but he took his marriage vows seriously and would have left me before becoming involved with someone else. So I was lucky. But what if he had slept with one of those available women? My response would probably have been different pre or post children. I think I would have tried to save my marriage if
my little ones were involved. Alone? I would have kicked him to the curb!
Elizabeth Edwards has a terminal illness and she has small children. She knows that she will not see her children grow up. She knows that her husband will raise them without her, so that has to play a big part in her decision. But the cost for her either way is huge. And she is paying it on a national stage. This makes me feel so much sadness for her. Whatever she does I pray she will be happy. Whatever she does, I pray her husband will be honorable from now on. Whatever she does, we must not judge her. The decision is private and hers alone to make.
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