International Women's Day: Why I'm Thankful for my Right to Divorce
“I am eternally grateful to the women before me who fought for my rights”
Divorce is a painful road, for anyone who has to walk that path. It can be soul-crushing, heartbreaking and traumatic. But today, on International Women's Day, I feel gratitude for my divorce.
Why am I thankful? It's simple: the mere fact that I have the freedom to obtain a divorce is incredibly liberating.
There are women around the world who, for one reason of another, do not have the same freedoms that I have. There are so many women, who wish to be divorced, but can't. There are women who will be punished for cultural or religious reasons if they end their marriage. There are women who are the victims of domestic violence and do not feel safe or free to leave their marriage. There are women who feel chained to their marriage because of family obligations. There are women who are the property of their husbands and can not legally obtain a divorce.
For all these reasons, and so many more, I am thankful that I am free to decide the type of life I wish to lead. I am free to end a marriage and seek out a divorce. I am free to create an independent life where I have every power in the world to support myself. For as long as I choose, I am free to live as a single woman. Where I live, in this world, I am free to make these choices.
Is divorce easy? Hell no! Is it something to be entered into lightly? No. Will it leave scars and cause incredible pain? In my case, yes. But the alternative for me, was a soul-crushing union.
So I will take the hard path, move through my grief, suffer through the pain, tend to my scars, and ultimately, come out on the other side a different person; however, I do this all freely. For that, I am forever grateful.
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