Help! In the Middle of the Night, I Found My Husband Sobbing in the Backyard. I’m Having a Hard Time Feeling Sympathetic to Why He’s Grieving.
A wife discovered her husband sobbing in the backyard after learning of the death of a man with whom he had a years-long affair 15 years prior. Though their marriage recovered and improved after the affair was revealed, she struggles to empathize with her husband's grief. The advice columnist suggests she acknowledge his loss and encourage grief counseling to support healing for both.
- ▪The wife discovered her husband having an affair with another man 15 years ago, which they worked through to save their marriage.
- ▪She found him grieving in the backyard upon learning of the former lover's death.
- ▪The columnist suggests the husband may have repressed his true sexual identity to maintain the marriage and family life.
- ▪She is advised to show compassion and suggest grief counseling to help him process his emotions.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Dear Prudence Help! In the Middle of the Night, I Found My Husband Sobbing in the Backyard. I’m Having a Hard Time Feeling Sympathetic to Why He’s Grieving. Advice by Emily Yoffe May 04, 20266:00 AM Photo illustration by Slate. Photo by Bruno Aguirre on Unsplash. Copy Link Share Share Comment Copy Link Share Share Comment Our advice columnists have heard it all over the years—so we’re diving into the Dear Prudence archives to share classic letters with our readers. Submit your own questions to Prudie here. Dear Prudence, My husband and I have been married for more than three decades and have grown children and grandchildren. Fifteen years ago, I discovered that my husband had been having an affair with another man for about five years.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Slate Magazine.
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