Everyone had a life prior to marriage. During that time, some people, including many here in Massachusetts, went through some form of trauma. It’s sometimes referred to as “baggage.” After some time, a marriage may not survive the lingering effects of it. The couple involved may find themselves heading for divorce if they can’t overcome the challenges presented.
When a trauma occurs, certain behaviors or actions could trigger the victim to relive it. For example, ending a prior relationship due to infidelity could leave scars that a new partner ends up having to deal with, possibly without realizing it at first. The party who was cheated on previously may have trust issues even if the other party does nothing wrong.
Over time, this could lead to resentment on the part of the new partner who has not cheated. As that resentment grows and the other party continues to have trouble moving past the prior trauma, the couple may stop communicating effectively. The problems only continue to grow. Under these circumstances, it is quite a challenge to enjoy a happy marriage. If the parties continue in this loop of behavior without talking things over or agreeing to counseling either separately and/or together, it could result in the end of the marriage.
Now, the Massachusetts couple faces a divorce that neither of them anticipated when they married. They must divide their property, handle child custody issues if they have children and otherwise untangle their lives. Each party should consider working diligently to protect his or her rights, to determine what is needed to live post-divorce, and to create a strategy for obtaining his or her rightful portion of the marital estate.