[cincinnati65]

Personally, after seeing my parents' divorce when I was nine, I was more committed to making sure that 1) I had the right partner when I did marry, and 2) I didn't get married until I knew that I would be with this person for the rest of my life.

[Malacoda]

Your experience and mine match up. My parents went through a years-long, "scorched Earth" divorce. (I was 14 when it started, and 22 when it was finalized.) My brother and I were both the weapons used and received the fallout from their physical, emotional and verbal scuffles.

The other thing it taught me? Money just isn't that important. It's certainly not worth fighting over, and destroying lives over.

[ThisLittleLightofMine]

My parents were too divorced and I decided also that once I was married it would be FOREVER. It hasn't been easy but we are celebrating our 17th year of marriage in December. Year 10 was the worst, but I remembered my promise to him and myself.

[ShandaLear]

One of the things that taught me to strive for a committed, loving, and permanent marriage was my divorce from my first husband. I have been married nearly 20 years since that happened.

We all have burdens to bear in this life. True reward and growth comes from overcoming them and moving forward in spite of the pains we've experienced, To let yourself become stuck in the "in between" places is to never experience full adulthood.