More and more older couples are deciding to end their marriages after decades of being together. If you are over the age of 50 and you’re considering ending your marriage, you probably know exactly why you want to make such a move. You should also know that you’re not alone.
Let’s take a look at some of the most common reasons for so-called gray divorces:
— A slow evolution over time: One relationship coach talks about gray divorce as if the marriage were a piece durable cookware that was dropped repeatedly but never broke. These “drops” create micro-fissures within a relationship until they reach critical mass and the marriage suddenly shatters into unrepairable pieces. Although the breaking of the marriage might come as a shock to others, the spouses involved probably saw it coming for years.
— Large age differences: Often a large age difference between couples won’t seem like a problem at the beginning of the relationship. However, over time, those age differences can become more important as the spouses get older, and prevent a marriage from continuing to be viable.
— Getting bored: Being with the same person for decades can become tedious over time — especially if one or the other spouses becomes complacent and stops investing in the relationship. Boredom is definitely a cited reason for many gray divorces. Some spouses crave the adventure of freedom, crave solitude, crave to start a different relationship, or just want to make an important change in their lives that doesn’t involve their current spouse.
There are many other reasons why elderly couples might choose to speak with an Orlando divorce lawyer about ending their marriages, like loss of sex drive and financial troubles to name a couple. Regardless the reason why they want a divorce, 50-plus spouses should keep in mind that it’s important to honor what is right for them, and not what is considered “normal” or what they think they “ought to do.”
Source: nextavenue.org, “Why Couples Divorce After Decades of Marriage,” Linda Melone, accessed Dec. 28, 2016