Dear Shelby:

This  role of caretaker in your family, what is it about?

You wrote earlier in this thread: “I have this belief that if it doesn’t work out with  my  ex, that I’ll continue working etc., basically functioning but I’ll always feel the loss and always have a melancholy of sorts and always miss him and basically live out the rest of my days in a mediocre sort of life… I feel like if I have to suffer for the rest of my days enduring this sad  life,  I’ll do it, for my  family.  It will just  be my lot in life”

What  if it is this caretaker role that is responsible for this melancholy, this mediocre sort of life, this sad life. Is it necessary for you to continue this role, is it what you want, or maybe, maybe there can be  a different  kind of life for you?

anita