Great insights shared by DOLLY & JOBAN99.
Eto lang masasabi ko -- hubby and I had an agreement na whoever strays and gets a 3rd Party - must inform the other. Hindi iyong it is the wife/husband to be the last to learn. O, eh maliwanag ha- Deal! Ngek, DOLLY.
Ano'ng Deal! Ah sh1t to the moon and back -- deny to the moon and back si hubby when he had a kabitch. Kesyo - ano ba, I work to death for this family, kung ano ano pa iniisip mo? Ang dami mong cobwebs, because of your dad's track record, etc etc etc. Once, sinabihan ako -- mentally unstable na daw ako. Yeah, right. Lol. Talagang deny to death kasi he was sooooo yabang he had everything under control and at that time, in his twisted sense of morality -- if there is no proof, there is no betrayal or sin.
Pwes, walang bahong hindi sisingaw. Lol. Basta, I found out beyond denial he had a kabitch -- months after he ended the relationship. Sure, he went into full-time Remorse & Reform, and I got around to Forgiveness (but not forgetting); and here we are in a better place.
The key to keeping yourself afloat after sh1t hits the fan is -- Acceptance. Accept that Life can be unfair, and that sh1t happens even to the good who do not deserve it. Accept that, then Act so the sh1t does not stick to you. No, whether you are the betrayed wife or daughter -- do not allow it that you become the Loser. Do not cloud your mind to the point you suffer with indecisiveness because you get nailed to The Past -- he was a good provider, a good father... ad nauseum. Yes, he may still be all those -- but he is no longer the same person, he has changed, he is living his life differently. All the lies, the denials is just cowardice coz he fears that what he may be going towards may NOT be as good as what he now has. Yan ang basic reason for the lies. Coz if he were sure all will return to what it is now should he decide to return later and resume his life, -- betcha, he will not lie, he will not make the effort at all -- he will just go.
I am not saying all men who stray should be kicked out. A man who goes into Authentic Reform and Remorse deserves another chance. Actually, some women do not even require remorse nor reform -- it is enough for them he comes home, even just to hang his head, even sporadically. It is their choice/decision -- who are we to judge?
Now for daughters like me whose childhood was negatively impacted by a philandering father and a martyr mom -- are we the wiser ones who learn from other's mistakes? Lol,100x. I sure did not learn,
for reasons only I know of. Lol. I sure went the whole hog: the f*cking around, the verbal and emo abuse, the kabitch kept hidden away so competently ... All the way up to the start of physical abuse with 1 batok to my head.
I have seen it thus from 2 perspectives, as a daughter and as a wife. I tell you this SLURPEE & SHOPWISE -- your parents are no longer the persons they are. Thy have changed because of the betrayal/s. If they can change more, and thus turn into better persons than they are now -- your family will get back together better and stronger.
BOTH must change for the better. Whether they do get back together or not, both will never be the same persons ever again. Accept that reality, and make the most of what Life gives. What else? You may be able to bring them back together for awhile -- pero, Band Aid ka lang at most, temporary lang. For they will each be what they choose to be, the good and the bad parts of themselves. Even if your father drops the current kabitch, if he chooses to lead a certain life, as JOBAN99 cited, your pop will just resume with another girl. If your mom chooses to drag The Past into The Present, even if your pop chains himself to her 24/7 -- she will always suffer betrayal and itch to kick him out.
What are you to do then?
Acknowledge that what is wrong is wrong - - make it clear to both -- then step back, and be there 24/7 for the one betrayed and hurting. But let them make their own decisions --- do not push them either way. Respect for parents you love is best expressed by trusting they can think and act for themselves. But if one is sooo wounded and can no longer think through the emotional pain and/or depression -- then, step in and help the weak. As Tim Yap did when he made his father leave their home because of what was being done to his mom (whatever it was his dad was up to, Tim Yap did not elaborate on in his interview.).
Finally, PRAY for Divine Guidance, clear thinking and courage. All sh1t passes, in time... As I say: just be sure when sh1t hits the fan -- it doesn't stick to you.

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