Belle Burden

I was now starting this life as a writer.

And I never would have left my marriage.

I never would have thought there was reason to leave my marriage.

And I don't think I was self-actualized in my marriage.

So it was almost like the universe delivered this to me so that I could end up in this new state, which it's a totally different kind of happiness, a totally different kind of joy.

But I would choose this joy again and again.

Yes.

Something you wouldn't have done before?

No, I would not have.

I would have thought, oh, God, they're going to make a mess and it's too loud.

And I just was a little more brittle.

And they just started coming over in droves.

I think kids can be sometimes more comfortable when it's just one parent.

Yeah.

And they were happy and they were loud and they were toasting things in the kitchen.

And it was just so happy and joyful.

And I found I was just so much more relaxed in it.

I think because all these things that I had depended on, like these structures had fallen away, I could be more relaxed.

I didn't have like this...

tight grip on everything anymore.