Divorce is never easy, but it is especially challenging in gray divorces. If you are unfamiliar, a gray divorce is one that involves two older people who have been married for decades. Untangling lives that have been lived in partnership for 20, 30, or 40 years is no small feat. But it can still be done, and it can be done peacefully when you utilize mediation as a resource.
It is not very often that gray divorces involve any kind of infidelity. It is more often the case that the couple has simply grown apart.
This is commonly the case for newly empty nesters. We’ve seen it many times. You spend your younger years in marriage raising your children and not focusing on your own relationship and so you naturally drift apart. The evidence of this is felt when your kiddos finally leave home. You and your spouse are left all alone and you realize that you don’t really know that person anymore. You’ve simply grown apart.
No one likes getting older. And sometimes in an effort to feel younger, a spouse will initiate a divorce. The reasoning being that partnering up with someone younger than their current spouse will make them feel more youthful as well.
Also, it is common for people to complain more when they get older. Which is understandable due to increased aches and pains, but if your spouse has become so negative that it affects your quality of life, this can also be a catalyst for divorce.
People like to enjoy their retirements differently. For some, retirement looks like finally finding time to relax, indulge in your hobbies, and just enjoy a slow pace. For others, it looks like traveling, experiencing new things, or doing things you always talked about doing but never did. When you find that your spouse’s idea of retirement does not match yours, this can lead to dissatisfaction and resentment. The solution for some is to divorce instead of wasting years of their lives not living the life they want to.
Whatever your reason is for wanting a gray divorce, mediation is often the best solution to guide you through it. Money, belongings, estates, and more can be quite complicated to divvy up fairly after decades of marriage. Our team at Solutions & Resolutions can help you and your spouse come to an agreement on all matters regarding your marriage. We want to help you maintain a peaceful relationship with your spouse all while achieving the best outcome for you both.
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