Texting while behind the wheel is one of the worst things that you can do as a driver. One wrong move while you’re distracted and you can wreck someone else’s entire life—or your own. Even if you end up not being hurt, you can destroy your entire financial future.
This is what happened to one woman who crashed her car into a rare tree while texting. Now, her husband is asking the internet whether he’s wrong to consider divorcing her so that he doesn’t have to deal with the mind-boggling sums of money the court is demanding they pay for the damage caused. You’ll find the full story and the discussion it sparked below.
It's a nightmare to find out that your spouse might have just ruined both of your futures
Image credits: wayhomestudio / magnific (not the actual photo)
A man asked the internet for advice after his wife's reckless driving landed them both in some serious financial trouble
Image credits: Flowo / magnific (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Magnific (not the actual photo)
Image credits: ThrowawayTreelaw99
There are some common factors that increase the risk of divorce
According to the BBC, around 44% of marriages in the United States end in divorce. Every 47 seconds, a couple splits up. One of the biggest factors that increases the odds of divorce is lower education levels. For one, someone who is more educated is more likely to be better at communication.
Better education is linked to wealth, too. “The more financially stable you are, the less likely you are to get divorced. Even modest savings appear to matter: couples with around $40,000 in wealth are significantly less likely to split than those with none.”
Another massive challenge to your marriage is a growing ‘sacrifice gap.’
Research shows that your willingness to make sacrifices for your partner improves relationship satisfaction, results in better personal wellbeing, and lowers the likelihood of divorce.
One character trait, in particular, is very destructive
That being said, there has to be a give-and-take mindset here with proper reciprocity. “If one partner is constantly giving things up while the other rarely reciprocates, resentment can quickly build. What matters most is balance – and recognising when your partner is making those everyday compromises.”
In a nutshell, you have to ask yourself if you appreciate all the things your partner is doing for you… and whether they appreciate what you’re doing for them.
Image credits: The Yuri Arcurs Collection / magnific (not the actual photo)
Another predictor of divorce is a large inclination toward neuroticism. Typically, personality differences don’t matter all that much. However, neurotics, who tend to be more emotionally unstable, irritable, and hostile, and experience anxiety, anger, and sadness more strongly and more often, are linked to an increased risk of divorce.
Basically, neuroticism makes you more sensitive to criticism and emotional strain, and this wears the relationship down over time.
Good communication is fundamental if you want to have a healthy relationship
Meanwhile, therapist Eli Weinstein told the Guardian how your inability to ask for help can harm your relationship, too. You might have noble intentions by not wanting to annoy or disappoint your partner. However, this is counterproductive.
“When you can’t ask for help, the partnership stops functioning as a team,” the therapist explains. “The mental load grows silently until it becomes resentment, burnout or emotional shutdown.” What you need to do is to openly name what you need, without apologizing. In other words, proper communication is key here.
Moreover, relationship therapist Simone Bose notes something similar. “Some people have always been self-sufficient and believe only they can do things and their partner won’t do them well enough. This can turn some partners into a martyr-like character, which in turn creates conflictual dynamics in the relationship. Carrying everything yourself can feel protective in the short term, but it often breeds resentment and emotional distance.”
What’s your perspective, Pandas? What would you do if you were in the author’s shoes and your significant other’s bad decisions put your entire future on the line? What would need to happen for you to consider getting divorced? What options do you think the couple realistically has to survive the impending financial nightmare? How do you know if someone is ready to get married? We’d like to hear your thoughts. Once you’ve finished reading the post, share your insights in the comments.
The internet had mixed reactions to the story. Some people called the man out for his lack of loyalty
However, not everyone was on the same page. Other internet users came out in support of the author
