Hot chocolate and self-preservation

I met up with a friend I haven't seen in a while yesterday. She has read a few parts of this blog so knew a little about what's been going on. We sat in a fancy chocolate shop, drinking hot chocolate and rehashing what my marriage has been through. Although it still feels like a never-ending saga (the last few weeks have been more downs than ups), it was good to go over it and realise what I've learnt and how I've grown up from all this. Also, she has been divorced (and now re-married) and was a strong advocate for having a contingency plan and convincing me I will survive whatever happens. She also ended our visit by saying that I look happier, less stressed, now than I did last year when I hated my job and was having regular anxiety attacks. That was a good reminder that marriage is only one aspect of my quite wonderful life.