Outback Jack's Journey

I was fearing that my wife was going to file for divorce any day now, as it's 12 months of separation. Legally you gotta have 'irreconcilable differences'. I asked her about that and she said that wasn't how she was thinking. She also said she wouldn't push the divorce button because she knew that would mean she was the one bailing out. I said the same. So perhaps we're both stubborn. But it also means we're committing to at least co-parent. And also committing to monthly counselling. I've recently learned from a Betrayal Conference, that they betrayed wife needs the husband's empathy to heal. So whether we get back together or not, she needs me to show her empathy. I've not done that because I've thought she was over-reacting. (I've had husbands in my online support group be involved in sexual affairs with other men and women for months and the wife has taken them back) I've not had sex with anyone. Yes I did a nude video call, but I

We started counselling sharing that we'd had some good times as a family. Sarah raised that we had met on Sunday to discuss out meeting for the financial planner later that day, but our time was shorter than expected as our daughter's shift at Maccas was 30-min earlier. At the end of our meeting, I started to tell Sarah that I'd been accepted into a program in the USA, but got cut off by our other daughter. By the time I was in the car, I realised that I hadn't brought it up, so while driving to pick our daughter, I phoned Sarah to tell her. She said, "Congratulations". I asked if she had any thoughts, and she merely said, "Lots, but I won't share them now." So basically, I have a protective strategy of avoiding conversations and situations that would cause conflict. Our counsellor calls it the "Avoidant Protector." She acknowledged that the Avoidant Protector has been very helpful in my past. She got me to change chairs and to briefly

"Devastated", "I am nothing", "I want to vanish and die", "I'm cancelled", "I am unwanted", "I have no friends", "Nobody wants to be my friend" - are the phrases that came to mind as I prepared to write this story.  I’m aged 12, in year 5. It’s a warm school day at Waramanga Primary School in suburban Canberra. I’m leaving the two story brown brick primary school and it’s well after 3pm. I exit the building and walk on the hot blacktop for a few steps before I get to the grass. The playground is bordered by gum trees. I look across the grass towards the underpass which is my route home (see pic above). Between me and the underpass is a large group of kids gathered in a circle around one boy. It seems like it’s everyone from both year 5 classes – about 50 kids. My stomach tightens as I walk closer. I wonder why they’re all gathering? I realise that they’re all gathered around listening to the leader of the cool at