New Beginnings: The D Word.

Let's talk about the "D" word. No, not that one, get your mind out of the gutter. I'm talking about divorce and the stigma around it.

As a kid, I feared divorce, it seemed so scary. I couldn't imagine my parents not being together. So I was thrown for a loop when my parents got divorced -- to say the least. Luckily, my parents did all they could to keep our family life the same. My Dad, would come to see us on the weekends (which is pretty much the only time we saw him anyway). And he would come to our house (and still does along his amazing wife Rena) for every holiday. I learned a lot from how my parents handled their relationship. And I learned that just because you fall out of love with someone, it doesn't mean you can't still love them as a person, respect them and appreciate that they were huge part of your life.

When Casey and I decided to get married, my parents were nothing but supportive. We were making adult decisions and I was the happiest I had ever been. Casey and I had a house, a plan, and enjoyed traveling around the world together. But we had differences, and they began to wear on our relationships. He wasn't happy. I wasn't happy. We weren't happy, and our marriage was not working for us.

But at 29 it's hard to say "I want out of this marriage", especially one I had so much pride in and I worked so hard for. Plus, divorce is a scary word. And thinking about leaving a life you were "comfortable" with is even harder. The thought of being alone after having a partner for so long is terrifying. But after many conversations, tears and therapy sessions, Casey and I knew we needed to go our separate ways. When I moved out we both felt a sigh of relief.

We are now at a place where we are both happier and ready to move on with these new chapters of our lives. And most importantly, we are still friends. The time I had with Casey and what I learned from him will always be a very important part of my life, and that will never change.

And if you're wondering, yes, I do hope to be married again one day. I loved being a bride and I loved being a wife. And as my friend Jen said "I figured you'd have another wedding, you love to throw a good party."

Proof that classy ladies can get married and walk away with their dignity and a divorce under their belt.

I opened up a Formspring account so if you have any questions, or would like any advice please feel free to anonymously send me a question there. You are also welcome to Tweet, Facebook message me, comment and email me.