The following tale of communication breakdown isn’t about divorce. Except, it is. It’s also about all other relationships… Once upon a time, I went hiking with a group and became separated from one of my companions. When he didn’t meet the rest of us at the end of the trail, I backtracked, searching for him. I called his name. He didn’t answer. I walked faster. I searched harder. I called louder. No response. I was on the verge of panic when I heard him yell my name. “TARA?!” I darted in the direction of his voice. As I rounded a curve […]
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Deck the Halls With Divorce Folly… But Preferably Not
January 5, 2015 is “Divorce Monday”…. ‘Tis the season for divorces Fa la la la la la la la la When couples stop beating dead horses Fa la la la la la la la la Will they make it quick and clever? Fa la la la la la la la la Or will the kids be scarred forever? Fa la la la la la la la la It’s that time of year: For many weeks, miserable couples gritted their teeth and faked smiles through the pre-determined Home Stretch of their time together. And now the Holiday Season has passed. The pretty […]
Continue readingDivorce Corp Family Law Reform Conference
You might recall how excited I was back in January when the movie Divorce Corp came to a theater near me (I wrote about it here). This past weekend I was even more delighted to attend the Divorce Corp Family Law Reform Conference in Alexandria, VA. The event was attended by a wide variety of people: lawyers, therapists, coaches, consultants, moms, dads, friends… each one with a personal story and a deep desire to see some serious changes in the family court system. The speakers were passionate, knowledgeable professionals with captivating stories, facts and missions to share. I laughed. I […]
Continue readingWould You Take Your Ex to the Hospital?
This week, a friend of mine took her ex-husband to the hospital. It was a move which, I thought, demonstrated a kind heart and mature relationship. Of course, not everyone thinks like me. A little background: Penny’s ex called her one evening and asked if she could pick up their children because he was too sick to drive them to her house. She obliged, and the next day she checked in to see how he was doing. Unfortunately his condition was such that he needed immediate medical attention. Penny drove him to the hospital, assisted him in the ER and […]
Continue readingWhat About the Children?
“I’m really upset about it,” a woman told me after she learned that an acquaintance of hers was getting divorced. “I mean, I hardly even know them. But… they have children. It just breaks my heart.” I bit my tongue and looked away. Now is not the time to get on your soap box, I reminded myself. She’s entitled to her feelings. Just let it go. While I maintained an even facial expression, the woman’s words infuriated me. She openly admitted that she didn’t know anything about the situation and yet she assumed the divorce was a tragedy simply because the couple had […]
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