Some people may remember that I recently left my narcissistic husband. I am safe, and I am staying in a place he does not know. All paperwork has been filed with the court, so I think it will all be ok, even if he is mean to me when we speak (I only speak with him about practical things, the house, the court). I do not reply to his messages unless it is practical only, and my friends he knows have blocked his number, so he cannot call, send SMS, nothing. He does not like this, of course, but that is his concern only. It is not mine. I do not tell people we both know what I am doing. He makes very nasty posts about me in FaceBook, and people send me messages asking why I did such bad things to him. I do not answer these messages because I do not want to talk about it with people who may feel sympathetic to him. This was difficult at first, but it becomes easier.

I forgot how much fun it can be to do small and simple things when I do not need to worry for his reaction. I went with coworkers to a bar a lot of young professionals like, and we drank delicious martinis and met nice people. We went to a coffee shop the next day, and then we took our dogs to play in a dog park. It sounds simple. I suppose it is. It was nice because no one was angry at me. It felt like everything was bright, and all of the things I have to do to become totally free in legal ways, do not seem as difficult as they seemed only one month ago.

Already, I have many plans. I am going to a music festival with graduate school friends soon. Next year, I will travel with my sister to a country I have not visited before, and we will do many outdoor activities like hiking in the mountains. I could not afford to travel or go to any festivals when I was supporting him, and he hated outdoor things and most music, so he would not do these things. Now I can do anything I want to do. Yes, I bring my kids on holiday, but that is easy. They like travel, especially with family. I forgot how much I missed when I was with him, nearly trapped in that house each day, only going out to work or my kids' football matches. I missed so many things, but I can do all of this now.