so sis, kamusta na kayo ngayon? if you dont mind me asking ha...
kasi sa start in post mo, you'd probably give him a chance pero towards the end parang di mo sya bibigyan ng chance.
and even if you did give him a chance... do they really change? kasi sabi din ng ibang sis dito, they say their "sorry" then go back to that bad habit of cheating.
IMO, philanderers change only when they themselves decide to do so.
No appeal/threats/bribery/nagging/guilt trips/pagmamakaawa will make him change -- kahit his whole family, even the dead ones, & the whole barangay ask him to change.
So, yes, cheaters CAN change -- but do not hold your breath waiting for the change.
Did I forgive him? Yes, he went into TRUE REMORSE & REFORM.
He asked: Did you not notice I have changed? (Hindi na emo & verbal abuser; very attentive to my preferences.)
He said he never neglected us, he never deprived us, he always gave me what I wanted, he always let me control business and family funds & properties. He always loved me, ako Lang (that was hard to believe, lols).
Now, he realizes mga pagkakamali Nya, & just asks for ONE Chance to prove he can be a good husband, a better person... He swears on his mom's head.
It took me a couple of months.
It helped to ACCEPT we were never going to be the same people again, the good & the bad.
I did not do it for the kids.
Coz, without him, I will find the means to give myself and the kids a beautiful life.
I did not do it for him.
He is his own person. I cannot make him what he does not himself make himself to be.
I did not do it for our marriage vows.
I don't believe in death do us part. IMO, Marriage is a Contract/Deal & not a Life Sentence to be served.
I forgave after much soul searching as to WHAT I WANT out of life.
I forgave after analyzing that 2 imperfect people like us could still give each other The Best Life.
In short, a New Relationship that was an acceptable risk with a good probability of long-term viability.
What is an Acceptable Risk?
It's made up of realistic expectations. Like: Love cannot be forced.
What is Viability? Connection, kindness, mutual respect, honesty, shared efforts for shared goals.
And dependence on a Promise that we both deserve to be happy -- when 1 wants to Exit -- just say so, & we will have immediate dissolution of our contract. No more lies.
Mind you, I did not reach 100% Forgiveness at 1 point in time.
No, Forgiving stretched over a period of time. I have not totally forgiven, but I do not nag.
Forgetting? Who ever forgets? But I do not replay the bad past as I do not watch over & over again a lousy movie.
Are we happy now? More than we had ever been.
The glue that holds it all is his CONTINUING TRUE REMORSE & REFORM.
Do I TRUST him?
Let us put it this way... If he betrays me again, I will not hang around to talk/ask nor hope.
Remember -- I have not totally forgiven, and I have never forgotten.
I was not a Loser then, I will not be the Loser IF there is another betrayal.
He was not my 1st Love.
But if he betrays me again, he will surely be my 1st Crime Victim & whoever, my 2nd Crime Victim.
IMO, I will get away with it.
Lintek lang walang ganti, per my darling Lola.
So, do I TRUST him?
I do not bother anymore with trust issues. I once did and got myself almost to the point of jumping off Guada Bridge. Tsk tsk tsk. Stupid.
I prefer to just make myself happy each day. I do not worry until the day to worry comes. But when the day to worry comes, I will not worry; I will act & kick back hard.