Frodo and the ring of power

My brother made an interesting comment to me the other day about my relationship with my HPD wife. (As of December 19th, ex-wife).

He said "You remind me of Frodo and she reminds me of the ring of power" (from lord of the rings).

In the story, Frodo was a good hearted person who ended up with the ring of power-that corrupted everyone around it. But men desired the ring above all things.

Frodo, because of his basic goodness, took much longer to be corrupted than others-but in the end he himself was changed by the ring and ended up desiring it above all things.

My brother's point was that I am by nature a sunny, laid back, optomistic, forgiving person. Therefor I loved her, and forgave her quirks. I ended it after 5 years-the longest relationship she had ever had save one (she is almost 46). Most men would have left long before, but I had a child with her and loved her.

In the end I felt defiled by her-her cheating, lying, and degredation of me. I also became angry, paranoid, pessemistic, cold.

Since getting away from her, my brother and loved ones say that they are glad to get the old me back.

I still struggle with how someone can treat someone they supposedly love like she treated me. With no remorse, shame, empathy,
guilt-nothing.

But I have started to wake up whistling again in the morning, and have gotten back my sunny disposition. Only, there is a part of me that I still feel will never be the same. I now have trouble trusting anyone-including my own perception of others.

I had just never been so spectacularly wrong about a person before-with such devestating results.

Same here...exactly..............

That works disturbingly well.

You're the nice guy that ends up with this exquisitely desirable girl landing in your lap. Soon, you start realising that she's messing with your life. Under her influence, both strangers and friends start desiring her, and eventually some become willing to betray your trust in a bid to possess her. Meanwhile, you find it harder and harder to trust anyone because she clouds your mind and treachery is in her nature.

And the only way out is when her ex re-appears. After a bit of a fight, he bites you, she goes back to him, and you move on with your life (albeit wounded). If the two of them fall into a volcano, it's not your problem but it will solve the rest of the world a lot of trouble.

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