People always say that when you marry someone, it should be for life and you should never give up... even when times are tough. I was raised that way also (my parents just celebrated their 40th anniversary). However, the second you use that statement to judge another person's situation you have committed a tragic offence.

I personally did not give up when my husband's addictions became apparent. I did not give up when money went missing for said addictions. I did not give up when I had to clean up/hide evidence of said addictions on an almost daily basis. I did not give up when I was the only source of income because of said addictions. I did not give up when I worked full time pregnant while he did nothing to contribute. I did not give up when he kept getting arrested. I did not give up when I would go into work knowing my husband was sitting in county lock up for the weekend. I did not give up when I did not gain weight like I was supposed to. I did not give up when I had $17 a week for groceries while extremely pregnant. I did not give up on the nights he never came home. I did not give up when he went "to work" only to find him passed out high at someone's house. I did not give up when his addictions forced me to live a lie. I did not give up when I had to hide any and all signs of trouble to give him time to sort his problems and priorities out. I did not give up when I had to look my family and friends in the eye and tell them I was fine. I did not give up when I wasn't fine. I HAD TO GIVE UP on the person I loved before myself to give my son the life he deserved. Had I stayed, I would have been that mom that puts their child's safety and security at any position lower than first priority.

You never know the troubles someone was willing to work through before they finally “gave up.” So I chose the lesser of the two "evils" and took on the title of divorced, single-mom at the tender age of 24 going on 25. I wear that label proudly and none of the judgments or downward glances will ever convince me otherwise. I wanted to share this for anyone who may be struggling between their own two "evils" and to say go with the one that you will never lose sleep over.

Still convinced I gave up too easily? I ask you this… how can you “give up” on someone when they abandoned you during your most vulnerable state? The first rule of marriage is that it is a two person job… so if one person quits then the other should too. Expect future posts on the horrors of addiction.