I was married for 11 years to an alcoholic. His cheating ended our marriage, but in hindsight, ours was a marriage that never should have happened.
I was young and dumb when it came to alcoholism. I knew he drank, sometimes too much, but so did a lot of people in our 20s. He did stupid things when he drank, but he was sooooo loving and treated me like a queen. Went out of his way to make me feel special and loved. I figured he would always cherish me that way. Within the first year, he proved my theory wrong. Alcohol was the first love of his life and I learned that the hard way.
It was hell going through our divorce, but looking back, I am thankful that we are no longer married. Life as a single parent and sole bread winner has been challenging, but to this day, he drinks, and that was 14 years ago. My children did not have to grow up in that environment, and for that I am very thankful.