My son is at his father’s for the night. Trying to pass the time I came across an article about an Italian couple who is set to become the world’s oldest divorcees. The 99 year old man is divorcing his wife of 77 years over an affair that happened during the 1940s. While rummaging through their chest of drawers he found old love letters and confronted his 96 year old wife about them. She confessed to the affair and they are now seeking a divorce. Their five children are grown and have children of their own.
I am not one to judge, I cannot imagine what I would do if I even found myself in this situation. But I can imagine how difficult it would be to go from being with someone for 77 years and suddenly finding yourself single again. By then you have become so accustomed to having someone by your side that you’re not sure how to be on your own anymore. The article doesn’t state much about the children, but often when children are grown and there is an affair involved they tend to take one parent’s side or the other. They feel betrayed just as much as the one that was cheated on. I can’t imagine how isolating that must feel. What a difficult position to be put in as children, even if they are all grown. Divorce tears families apart whether you are young or old, children get stuck in the middle regardless, and it is messy for everyone.
Whether it is right or wrong, I can’t help but feel sorry for this family. It makes me sad to see them torn apart after so many years. It must be hard to be experiencing this in the public eye. At least they made the Guinness World Records though right?