A Key To Survive

Carol set limits.. She told her husband, "I feel so devastated by your affair. You even used our car to bring her out and to our vacation house. Despite your promise to stop it, you still continue. I want you out of the house. If you agree to seek help, maybe we can talk."

Carol sought relief. But that's not the reason why she did that. She did it for her. While she wished her unfaithful  husband would make a turnaround, it's out of her hands. She separated from her husband's problem and responsibility without separating from him. She still cared to offer him help."

Detachment. At times, it's an only way we can do to survive overwhelming pain, frustration, and disappointment of our "broken dreams." Its often a first step in reclaiming our lives. It can be our best hope towards recovery and wholeness. 

First-aid emotional detachment teaches us to endure the unendurable, the inexplicable, the paradoxical. Not just in our selves or our relationships, but also in the world in general. Managing the difficult task of detachment frees us to move on even amid unanswered questions.

I'm reminded of Mommy Wilma who learned to practice a "script" with her daughter. Wilma heaved a deep sigh of relief, after rehearsing her new "script" to her daughter "I separate from your problem which is your responsibility without separating from you!"

Detachment is a conscious choice. An expression of our own will to survive.