Dear Christine,
I’ve done something really impulsive and now I’m afraid to tell my husband. Each year his family comes in from out of town and stays with us for Thanksgiving for a 4 day weekend. That includes mom, dad, brother, his wife and three young kids. I love him. I’ve put up with his family who are still a bit judgey about the gay thing for 6 years now. I’ve been kind and gracious, I think, but I will lose my mind if I have to deal with them this year. I haven’t told him yet but I bought an airline ticket to visit my friend in New Mexico for that weekend. I can’t even work up the nerve to tell him. Now that I’ve done it I feel really guilty. What should I do? I’m teetering between getting out of town and cancelling my reservation. I’ve never even really told him how much I dread these visits. I love him so much. help!
Teetering in Trenton
Dear Teetering,
Seriously?! You are married to your husband, co-hosting his “judgey-about- gays” family for Thanksgiving for not 1, not 2, not 3 but SIX years. And it never crossed your mind to tell him that you dread these visits? And you think he has no clue as to your actual feelings of dread? What kind of marriage is this? Apparently, there is no honesty about what each of you need and how either one of you feel! My prediction is that this marriage can’t last long.
Trust is one of the fundamentals of a healthy relationship. Trust comes from being vulnerable, honest and open with your spouse. It’s not easy. It’s not fun. But it’s entirely necessary to build trust. It would seem that your husband values his family coming to visit at Thanksgiving each year, despite their moral stance. Seriously, you have never said a word to him about how difficult this annual ordeal?! Time to change that!
You can keep your reservations for New Mexico if you don’t tell him, but you might think about looking for a job and an apartment there while you are visiting your friend. I’m not sure your husband will appreciate your surprise disappearance. Or you can just fess up to your husband and let him know just how uncomfortable you are with his family visiting and see if he is willing to graciously let you out of this co-hosting of his family. Or you can cancel the tickets and fess up to your husband that you’ve been hiding the real you from him for six long years and see if he gets your misery or feels hurt and angry. Your choice.
Physics teaches that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. No matter what you decide to do or when you decide to do it, there will be a reaction. You choose what is the best course for you and for your marriage. If you have any hope of this being a long-term marriage, I’d suggest cancelling the tickets and then telling all to your husband. And I mean all.
Maybe he’ll understand your desperation and give you the green light to avoid his “judgey” family. Maybe he won’t understand and resent your cowardice. I don’t have a clue. Good luck to you, but just remember, honesty is the best policy and the sooner the better. This would have been a really good conversation in year 1 or 2.
Take care,
Christine Cantrell, PhD
Psychologist