Rechellef
How funny that you see the same thing. We used to joke around about his crying. He was always remembering when the kids were little or his brother or how beautiful a song was. It was emotionally exhausting trying to be with him. And when I was holding on by a thread because both my children were leaving home I could not be compassionate or share the constant emotion with him. He would start using a catch phrase and when we laughed the first few times he would say it 100 times and would get hurt feelings if we asked him to stop, saying we were trying to stifle who he was. He would tell the same story over and over again to each new person he met. He never was a "woe is me" kind of person but the last few years he was full of "if only". "if only" his parents had encouraged him to go to college. "If only" he had gone to a different piano teacher he might have been a great musician. "If only" he had had a chance to tour the firehouse when he was 10 he would have known his true calling. "if only" I appreciated him more...you get the picture. And as far as the husband department...what do you think happens to a 50 year old man who has drank for the past 35 years? He never blamed me for that but I know it devastated him and he just stopped trying at all. Yes he is still a good father and that part of your husband you should acknowledge and be grateful for. Glad you found this board and hope it helps you as much as it has helped me.