You say you have to at least give it one chance to be better and perhaps you do. I am 56 and have been married 4 times. My first marriage was at 19 to an extremely abusive man. I stayed with him for 7 1/2 years and ended up being a typical sick abused woman. I left him only after he kicked my daughters high chair and almost sent her flying. I could take the abuse but I couldn't let him abuse her so I left.
I married the 2nd time at 28 yrs old to a man who was sober and in AA and worked his program. It was through him and by the Grace of God that I ended up around AA and in Alanon for the duration of our marriage of 11 years. It helped to make me strong again. I left him because he stopped working his program after 13 years and although he stayed sober, he became an angry and aggressive person - two personality traits that I was not going to live with for both my sake and my daughter's sake who at the time was 16 and bipolar.
I married the 3rd time at 41 to a man who was an alcoholic and believe it or not, I did not know he was an alcoholic because he did not start to drink until after we were married. I dated and lived with him for 2 years before we were married and had no idea he was a drunk. After 1 year of marriage he was diagnosed with head and neck cancer (oncologist said he type of cancer is only cause by excessive drinking and smoking together). He died at age 44.
I married the 4th time at age 47 in 2003 to my current husband who DOES NOT drink at all - ever and never did! He is definately my soul mate if that in fact exists. He is kind, caring, respectful, loving, patient, helpful, etc., etc., etc....all the things we all look for in a mate. I'm not saying he is perfect but I honestly have not found anything about this man that is hard to live with. I thank God I have him in my life at this time because I am dealing with an AD and he is so supportive and loves her as well like she was his own even though she was an adult when he met her. He's never had children of his own (sometimes I think...lucky him, lol).
LittleJewel, don't settle for less in your life. Life is hard enough to go through and I believe there is someone RIGHT out there for all of us...we just have to keep looking and you're NEVER too old to find that RIGHT person
Good luck to you - you have to do what you feel is best for you.