INHALED: AN INTRODUCTION

I never thought my years of marriage were perfect. Who’s are? But, I had held the firm belief that to better one’s relationship, however flawed, you must look inside, not outside the marriage.

I knew I was not the only woman who had had the safety of her world destroyed, the structure of her life disjointed, the foundation of her union blasted. Countless stories depicting evidence of marital crumbling are readily available to the insecure voyeur like me, seeking reassurance in futile comparisons. I wanted to share my story, not as a premise for revenge, no; I wanted to unburden myself from the encompassing guilt that had woven its way into my stomach. I needed to describe, in painful detail, this unexpected life passage I had chosen to walk, its fine line sometimes erased or redrawn, oblivious to the hurt and destruction that would ensue.

My desire to share was a function of survival, as I needed to finally breathe properly, dilute the shame and access the universe’s forgiveness.

From the moment we decided to sell our house and cars, pack our container and leave Montreal, I felt the urge and stamina to finally write. Fate had interfered and injected multiple obstacles to stunt my initial efforts, until the right subject had imposed itself on me.