Mary’s Story
I was completely blind, it came out of nowhere. My husband was getting more grumpy, initially I put it down to worry pressure at work, school fees etc. He started running late home or missing the train he said he was on. Personally, I thought we had an amazing marriage. But maybe I was truly blind.
Never having been unhappy, I was beginning to cry more… so l took the bull by the horn and questioned him one evening. Only to be told he was “off”… “off where?!” was my reply. “There’s someone else” a bomb shell. I will never forget that and I will take it to my grave. My heart broke, I cried lost two stone in weight, my mother was dying at the same time and I was about to face two huge losses in my life. I forgave him immediately. This has been the biggest relief to this day, it has kept me sane.
My sadness was the isolation and loneliness. After a huge amount of kindness from a mass of friends, I started to recover. I had two sons and one daughter who was in the middle of doing her GCSE’s. They were all angry and coming to terms with what was happening. The school she was at was phenomenally supportive. I had never managed any of our finances, this was the beginning of my later Education. I have never paid a gas bill or taxed my car, hardly worked a computer – I just looked after the house and children.
The beginning of my new life was starting. I went to a Lawyer who did her best for me, but sadly all our money had gone on school fees and the children, of which I will never ever regret. So financial broken, here I was at 50 something having to start again from scratch. I somehow kept our rented home for 6 years living on the money that my dying Mother had left, and a tiny amount from my Ex, (by then )Husband.
Six years later I arrived in London, homeless, and had to start again. Some sweet friends took me in and my journey was beginning. I had picked up sculpting and singing – both of which I still do now, with an album ready to release but I am too scared to sing in public. (yet I have sung at the Savoy!). Therapy is very important – find something you love and start it again. Life was on a huge turn, I recovered; walked, loved people, found solitude, from a huge faith and finding my inner strength. Who was l really?!
Loving, resting and working, these are three very important things to take hold of.
Then I started to challenge myself, setting up two Networking businesses, Divorce Angel and a Social Enterprise for the homeless. As well as those, a Connections business where my heart now is helping people, and connecting people in business. My work, is what makes me thrive today. People make my heart sing. I am an advocate for Homelessness spending many nights on the streets helping out. I have four Ambassadorships of which I am very proud of.
If I was with my husband today I would be potting plants, doing my hair and waiting for my husband to come home for supper. Instead, I am living my life for others and having a complete ball. (Take note anyone who’s sad….. it all gets so much better!) Hope and Faith are a wonderful thing. The two things that have kept me going are ‘ Vision and Value’ if you have both of these you will survive anything.
#women #wealth #wellbeing #divorce #lonliness #bereavement #family #friendship #sharing #hope #support #planforthefuture #liveafulfilledlife #kindnessoffriends #appreciation #inyourcorner
