LGBTQIA/Relationships/Family
After Divorce, Rethink the Definition of “Family”
Maturity offers us the freedom to reexamine how we define love.
My ex-wife, Lynn, and I would have been married now for fifty-two years. But I’ve been with my husband now for thirty-three years; we married as soon as the law allowed.
I love my husband, and I love Lynn.
Although we’re no longer married, I often refer to Lynn as my wife. She’s the only one I’ve ever had, and I’m quite sure that I’ll never have another one.
Both my husband and ex-wife are essential parts of my life and history.
A few weeks ago, my husband and I went out to dinner with a good friend who was a classmate of mine in medical school. Early in our professional careers, he and his first wife had been friends with Lynn and me. So, I invited Lynn to join us.
I said to the server, “This is my husband . . . and this is my wife.” At first, he looked stunned. Then his expression changed to “Oh . . . now I get it.”
Both Lynn and my husband are excellent cooks. It’s not uncommon for them to prepare the food together for family celebrations like Thanksgiving and graduations.
