I don’t know what it is but I love it
~ By an Anonymous Contributor
“I am so excited about telling my story that I hardly know where to begin. My husband and I have been married nearly 15 years. Eleven of those years were spent struggling with the disease of alcoholism. Anyone who has ever had to deal with this difficult problem with a friend or relative knows the agony of watching those you love destroy themselves. But looking back, I can see that my husband’s problem with alcohol was a very convenient scapegoat for my own shortcomings. I could always blame his drinking for my attitudes. Well, naturally he rebelled, and no matter how remorseful he felt about his drinking habit, he would not give it up. At this time I was so far from being a ‘fascinating woman’ that it is truly a miracle I am writing my story today.
“He did finally stop drinking, however, on his own initiative and by the grace of God. Even so, we were in compete agreement about getting a divorce. I really can’t say what I expected our life to be but it was very disappointing to find we still argued and had serious communication problems. He didn’t come up to my expectations at all. In fact, he seemed to think more of his friends than of me. We had suffered so much because of him. You can tell my attitude had not changed since he stopped drinking. Instead of criticizing and cursing his drinking, I attacked his character. I didn’t realize what an ugly person I had become.
“After about 2 years of floundering, I slowly started drifting away from him. I was very disillusioned with life and I even got to the point where I thought I loved someone else. Thank God this didn’t lead to a total disaster. My husband sensed my deep unhappiness but was helpless in this situation.
“During this whole time, I had in my possession a copy of Fascinating Womanhood. It had been loaned to be by a friend who sensed my trouble, and for some reason I had not opened it. I am one of those people who cannot leave any book unread. I think God must have known I wasn’t ready for Fascinating Womanhood. It lay on my bedside table for weeks.
“I came to my senses and faced reality about leaving my husband for another man. We were to go on a vacation in August and I decided if there was no hope for a change in our marriage I’d ask for a divorce when we got back. In October, we agreed to a separation in January. We were glad we were doing something about ending this bad marriage.
“Well, in exactly 3 days I picked up Fascinating Womanhood and couldn’t put it down. This will sound unbelievable, but my whole life changed. I’ve had to struggle to apply the principles of F.W. but it works. Everything seemed to fit for me. All my misconceptions about men and marriage were pointed out to me. I didn’t feel I had to give up anything to gain everything.
“Needless to say, for the next few weeks I did a lot of soul searching. It was a beautiful thing to see my husband respond to F.W. In January there was no talk of separation. In fact, we took a weekend trip with friends. It was a thrill to remember. The comparison between this trip and the one before F.W. is hard to believe. I was so ignored and miserable before I almost cried. This time I used admiration and praise in small cases with real sincerity. My reward came immediately. He showed such concern about a slight cold I had at breakfast the next morning that I was completely surprised! After walking with me to the café, he sat with the other husbands, but I could feel him watching me. As we walked after breakfast, he said, “I think I’m falling in love with you again.” I’ll never forget that sunlit morning.
“It is so hard to believe that it has been only a year since I discovered Fascinating Womanhood. I sing its praises to everyone I meet and so does my husband, even though he has never read it. He says, “I don’t know what it is but I love it! “I have never been happier!!”
NOTE: Our testimonials only come from real contributors, most of whom prefer to remain anonymous. The images we use in association with anonymous stories are just stock supply. We encourage you to share your story so the entire community can grow and benefit. We promise to keep your details as anonymous as you desire. Thank you to all you fascinating women out there who continue to contribute. You are changing the world!
