Lovely Conflicts: Short Work

Divorce is a beautiful thing. Marriages that have gone on for 20+ years, abusive ones; one’s that are perfectly fine until they're not; one's that constitute a big united family, or just a couple with some kids can decide to separate their belongings to continue on their ways. They have this ability to unlatch what some people call "wedlock" that ultimately ended up being twisted snakes at war with one another, and sometimes, themselves.

 

My parents were married for 15 years. Dad, an internal medicine doctor, and Mom, a stay at home mom for two girls, often looked for senses of achievement, which their marriage lacked. The kids grew up in a typical neighborhood where best friends were neighbors, walking to the corner market, weekend sleepovers, and eating dinner together at the dining table. Their house was often the party house. Christmas Eve and Christmas were always a huge gathering of family, drinking egg nog, and opening gifts. Each celebration ended with collections of funny photos and memories. That’s how every holiday was at the Oliver house. This eventually ended.

Although this end, mentioning the bonus Christmases, graduation parties, and presents from two separate households could never go wrong. In addition to those, there were never any circles of "go ask your mother" when the girls wanted something. A double-sided coin in the midst, the kiddos always got two visits from dear Santa Clause.

 

Divorce is a beautiful thing. Mom, who was often depressed, angry, guilty, or looking for a form of escape, packed up the kids and her life. She got a house, a job, and a whole new set of things that interested her. It was either books that guided her, healing crystals, ballroom shoes that cradled her foot, clothes, or "neat finds," as she would call them, from hidden thrift stores. She often hosted, planned, catered, and entertained all gatherings with a self-found glow that she didn't have before. All this while she was a single mom.

Dad, who felt often suppressed, shameful, manipulative, or looking for his form of escape, continued working his way up in hospitals, building a proper name all while getting back to the things he loved. He also got the new equipment needed to get back into his hobbies. This equipment included hiking boots that laced up nearly past his ankles, new tents, and camping gear, which conveniently rested in small carrying cases, traveling tools, and brand new hardware for the girls to get into these adventures with him—all this while being a single dad.

 

Divorce is a beautiful thing. Mom and Dad did lose something very familiar, which, of course, made things shaky at first. Although, after, it was one of the most warming things to watch. There was this perspective that seeped out of them, showing their newfound selves. They had unraveled what they wanted in self and life, what made them motivated, what made them love, from a place within them that wasn't noticed for some time. Now marriage is well-known for the grants of freedom, happiness, will, and opportunities, but not divorce, even though divorce can do just about the same.

On separate occasions, they would ask how everyone's doing, how a two home adjustment was going. These questions were quite common. The same answer was often presented, "good," commonly alongside three obviously different tones and facial expressions. This detection did not seize their ambition; it just occasionally forced a new obstacle to master.

 

Divorce is a beautiful thing.