learned a secret about my wife

Qua

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I'll agree with everyone else on the OP's situation

and take issue with Dragonfly's reasoning...so, where would you prefer he go to discuss it? Among a group of friends, a confindante perhaps? Either way they know who he is and who she is, and in my experience, no one is trustworthy with damaging secrets. Just look at his wife's sister.

an anonymous public forum is really the best place to do it, particularly when it's such a generic sounding situation.

He isn't scum. At all. You're just predisposed.
 

boerkie

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scum you aint, and i dont think you deserved to be called that.
confused over what you found out, thats natural.
the motivation for telling you is suspect.
if you loved her before you knew, you need to love her even more now that you know.
for believe me, it is an emotionally traumatic event on so many levels.
and if your wife never opens up about it, you would at least be able to say, at the end of your life together, that you loved her no matter what!!
the choice to be a nurturer is much more difficult that the choice to be a detector of unrevealed truth.
 

whatireallywant

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To be honest I think you should just let it go... if she's never told you then it's probably because it's something that she just doesn't want to talk about, 25yrs ago there was still alot of shame surrounding abortions and she may well be scarred by it. And while you can live with it, she may feel very uncomfortable about you knowing and that could have a knock on effect on your relationship.

Just don't judge her, none of us is perfect.

I just thank my lucky stars that I've never been in that position myself, but I had a wild couple of years in my youth, so it was more luck than good judgement that I was never caught out!

There is still a lot of shame surrounding it, depending on where you live and the people in your neighborhood, etc.

I often fear new relationships for this reason - I want to be honest and tell him about mine, but I'm so afraid he would hate me afterwards... (And yes, I WAS unfortunately in that position, but I've for the most part recovered. The only really bad part now is getting into relationships and "when to tell him, and worrying how he's going to react".) During the time when I had mine, it was REALLY bad because I lived in a community full of fundamentalist Christians! Fortunately, only a very, very few people ever knew, and those who did were all supportive of me.

To the OP: I wouldn't say that she was "dishonest" in not telling you, though. Maybe she was simply afraid of your reaction. I'm not sure whether you should just leave it be, or bring it up with her.
 

The Dragon

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Calambo,
I have had time to think about it and I admit your post struck a raw nerve with me and I over reacted and responded in a heavy handed manner.
Please forgive me
Dragonfly.
 

Doc

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Honest is king in a relationship. Alot of people ignore this fact. It's tough to do it, but if you really want to know someone, all there baggage and garbage is just as important as their candy and gifts.

You should mention it to her, and discuss it frankly.

Good luck.
 

oldriver

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ladies and gents....longtime married guy here...recently learned from sister in law that my wife of 25 yrs had an abortion before i met here...wife has chose to not tell me..i am sure she has her reasons...should i ask about it??..or let sleeping dogs alone...yes we all have secrets and maybe this is one she chooses to take to her grave???..i can live with it but it is on my mind..
CALAMBO - My friend, your "wife of 25 yrs" did something "before i met here" [sic]? What all kinds of things did YOU do before you met her?

We all have things we wish we had not done, secrets, etc., from our past. Personally, I was responsible for a young lady having an abortion in about 1983 and I am not proud of that fact -- but it happened. I offered to marry her but she went away and "did her thing," telling me about it when she returned.

If you've had a wife for 25 years, count your blessings, don't worry about something she may have done when she was (maybe) as young and dumb as you and I were once, and give her all the love you can. Thank your lucky stars!

Best of luck -- to both of you
 

unabear09

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I'd let it go man. If its something that she's never mentioned to you, then its most likely that she doesn't want to discuss it. I'd imagine it was a very painful time in her life, that she has spent many years trying to get over it, and doesn't want to go back in time and relive the experience and time again.

I do question her sister's motive for telling you this. Something doesn't quite sit right with me on that. I'd ask her point blank exactly why she felt it pertinent to inform you of this. Sounds like she maybe was trying to stir up some shit in your marriage. I could be wrong, but like I said, something foul is afoot.

Now...honestly, if it is truly is bothering you to the point that you can't get it off of your mind....I would NOT confront her with it. Confronting her would be the absolute worst thing and most devastating thing you could do to her and your marriage. I would maybe try to find a way to ask her, but not in a direct way. Like say....for instance, get into a deep conversation with her about abortion rights, and what she feels about it. Then, give her an example, like say.....this woman I knew once long ago, got really really drunk and got pregnant in a one night stand. She was financially and emotionally not prepared to raise a child, so she did what she thought was the right thing to do at the time, and had it aborted. Then ask her, 'What would you do if you were in that situation?' Mind you please try to be much more subtle about asking this question/presenting this situation, as it most likely will be a very volatile subject, so tread lightly my friend.

Please only do the above if her secret is truly bothering you on a level that is so deep that it rattles you to your core. If that is the case, go ahead, but please keep in mind there could be some serious repercussions.


Edit: didn't read your last post about sister being drunk. I thought there was some sort of malintent on her part by telling you that. Sorry
 
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Principessa

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ladies and gents....longtime married guy here...recently learned from sister in law that my wife of 25 yrs had an abortion before i met here...wife has chose to not tell me..i am sure she has her reasons...should i ask about it??..or let sleeping dogs alone...yes we all have secrets and maybe this is one she chooses to take to her grave???..i can live with it but it is on my mind..
If it's eating at you, imagine how your poor wife has felt all this time. I say don't mention it to her or anyone else. Just take it to your grave. :cool:

thx to all that gave input...i personally did not think i was scum for asking...to me this is a private forum and respect the persons opinions...yes i am going to keep this to myself...and not discuss with my wife, her secret must be hers and i will live with it...abortion in the early days was very violent subject...and still is...a womans right is just that....her drunken sister let it slip to me illustrating her ability to keep a secret...she had thought wife had told me, i never let on as to not hurt her feelings for betraying a family secret..our children do not need to know this about thier mother...to re-open an old wound my cause more pain to the person i love....i see no gain from discussing any further with anyone...thanks again for the re-enforcement..
Ahhh her sister was drunk. Okay that explains it. I was afraid that there was some malicious intent on the sisters part for mentioning it. This was not intentional or done to hurt you or your wife. It will be difficult but I think you need to not discuss it with her.

I guess it's important to remember that she probably didn't want to have it, but circumstances required it. You may not have been happily married to her right now had she not gone through with it.
Two excellent points! I have to assume the abortion was prior to meeting you. If she had, had the baby she may not have gone to college, met you had a great marriage and two wonderful children, etc., etc. The world was a very different place in 1983.
 

curiomeerkat

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RIVEN...you have raised a good point...i was raised in a christian household...abortion is off limits...to discuss and only bad people would do such a thing...we have a dgtr and son who have had children out of wedlock...we love them more than anything.....i have to think i agree it is a woman's right to choose...glad i am not a woman to live with such a decision..thus i can only think this was her private reason at the time she made it....i may have to re-think abortion before i can answer your question...when it hits close to home it means more than on television...and you are right about this secret..it is eating at me, to bring it to the open will be painful for us both..and is it worth it???...will we be stronger or will my oposition to abortion hurt our re-lationship??...folks..keep your family secrets to yourself...still thinking here

You have to respect her right to keep that secret and give her the space to be able to share it with you in her own time. Don't let it eat you up, it's no reflection on you or the way you feel about each other, you have raised a family afterall. Her sister had no right doing what she did. It seems quite unfair whether she was drunk or not, you have no idea how much trauma having to have an abortion may have caused your wife or how her family treated her back then. Perhaps that's why she can't talk about it so judging her now could be damaging more than just your relationship.
 
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Hippie Hollow Girl

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Calambo,

I am sure your wife is not wanting to talk about the abortion she had before she met you because she is concerned about how you will feel about her actions. Especially if both of you are religious.....or she believes you might think differently of her if you know the truth. Because of her abortion......it might have changed the way she felt about the Right to Life issue.

She might be in denial.

All I know is that I praise God that I have never had to make that choice. I was raised in a Christian home.....but I will admit that when I was young and in college it would have been the choice that I would have made if I had gotten pregnant with someone that raped me or someone that I didn't want to have a relationship with. College is so expensive and you have a short time line to get everything in (with the way they are constantly changing everything up).

I had a lot of friends that had abortions in college.....(in the eighties) and I saw how they were treated by their peers. I remember thinking......There is no way I would ever tell anyone if I ever had an abortion.

I went to an all female university.....and I remember this one poor girl....She was the roommate of my roommate's best friend. She got pregnant from a one night stand with one of the nerdiest guys I have ever seen in my life (a frat boy who she was drinking with one night). There was so much pressure by my room mate and her friend for this girl not to have an abortion.....they tried to talk her into having the baby and let this nerdy guy raise the baby. But she would have had to drop out of nursing school. She got treated really bad because she did what she had to do. I wasn't even friends with the girl but I ended up defending her and telling the bossy females to back off her and mind their own business. It is her body and it is her right to choose. (I also felt like these people were trying to manipulate this girl into her doing what they thought she ought to do. They weren't really looking at her best interests.)

Think Kink is right......if your wife hadn't had an abortion you probably wouldn't be married to her right now.

My 2 cents.


Also I suggest waiting until she tells you about the abortion.....before you ever mention that her sister said anything to you in a drunken stupor.
 

SR_Manny Manparts

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I do agree with Monster. If you're in a relationship and decide to get married is because you really believe you can be honest with this person and vice versa. I would let my special someone know as much as she can about myself so that no surprises creep up on me later one. That way my mind is clear.

..What others reply in this forum is understandable. This might be too painful for her to deal with. We don't know what happened. But after sticking around for 25 years, I think he's earned his badge!

.....I don't think he's scum for posting it. He's not giving any big details. He found out something that the person he loves has hidden and he's just asking for some advice on how to deal with it.


I don't think she should have kept the secrect, a relationship is all about honesty no matter what any idiot may say. Id ask about it so that the integrity and honesty may stay intact. Good luck buddy.
 

Hippie Hollow Girl

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Well, in my marriage......I have always tried to be as honest as possible. Answer any questions that my husband has asked me..... honestly. But I haven't offered up the names and social security numbers of every guy I have ever slept with. Nor have I asked that of my husband. The abortion question did come up before we got married. The reason why.....was he told me that one of his long term girlfriends had had an abortion.....right before she and he started dating. Can't remember why that conversation was brought up at the time.....maybe he was wanting to find out if I had ever had an abortion or how I felt about that issue. I just remember telling him that I am very thankful that I have never had to make that decision. (I have always been infertile and didn't know it.) I don't even know if I could make that decision. I would slay dragons for my children. But I did tell him that if I ever had a daughter and she found herself in a situation that she didn't want to be in......and she wanted an abortion......I am right there with her.( After she had been presented with all the options.) Women have a right to choose. Not saying that would be my choice. I love babies. I have always said it is too bad that (unplanned pregnancy) baby's can't be transplanted into infertile women's wombs.

Calambo,

You are the person that knows your wife best. The only reason why I was saying......if I were you.....I would wait and let her tell you about the abortion herself.....is because this is her cross to bare. She is the one that has to answer to the man upstairs for her actions.

I was just concerned that if you bring it up and ask her about it......it might turn into something that might crumble your marriage. Like.....if you haven't been honest with me about this one issue from the get go......what else have you not been honest with me about. And it might open a whole Pandora's box. It might cause your wife to spiral into depression. Believe me.....it doesn't take much for some of us to spiral into depression.

But you are the one that knows your wife better than any of us do. I am just a female. Do whatever your gut tells you to do.

I sincerely wish you the best.
 

MarkLondon

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Calambo, you say you were raised in a christian background where abortion was off-limits. Did your wife come from a similar background? Whether or not she did, she must know about your background. Have you ever talked about abortion in her presence? Did you express any forceful views?

Abortion is not an easy option for a woman. Many find it traumatic. Some mourn for years or even a lifetime over the baby that could have been. In a social environment where it is politicised or religion comes into the issue, it must be almost imposible to talk about. She risks condemnation when what she needs is sympathy and understanding about the most horrible thing that has ever happened to her.

Maybe your wife copes by denial, or forgetfulness. Maybe you rescued her and helped her move on and establish a new life with new children. Maybe, even, you and your love and your (both) children redeemed her.

I think you should only raise the issue with your wife if you are ready to understand how she was at the time and empathise with her in retrospect. If there's even a hint of "she was bad to do that" or other disapproval in your mind, leave it alone. If all you're concerned with is "why did she keep a secret from me?" leave it alone. I'm sure there's some things in your life that you never thought to mention that might surprise her.

You found this out in a moment of her sister's drunken indiscretion. It might be best to convince yourself that that woman was deluded, mistaken, or had a subconscious reason to sow a seed of doubt into your relationship. It might not even be true!

It's so much easier for the guy, you'd think. My brother's girlfriend had a teenage abortion after non-penetrative sex! He'd only cum on her, not in her. I only heard years later, and our parents still don't know. Although of course, hers did, and supported her through it. Later on, a possessive girlfriend lied about her contraception, thinking a baby would seal their relationship (while they were in university!). She had the baby and he was adopted. Somewhere in Devon, there's a 25 yr old guy that's a blood relative of mine who knows nothing about his parents or relations. Hopefully he's had a good life and his adoptive parents have provided him with a good family background where he is loved and accepted for himself. Again, our parents do not know this. And you know what, I don't know whether his wife and mother of his two legitimate children knows this. I would NEVER, EVER take it upon myself to tell her, no matter how drunk I was.

Did you ever have unprotected sex with a woman before you married? You may have had an abortion or fathered a child outside of your marriage yourself, but just not know about it.

Lol, I only came here to look at the cocks! What has LPSG done to me?
 

silvertriumph2

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CALAMBO..

You are certainly NOT scum, my friend....far from it.
It is your sister-in-law that is wrong (scum?) in failing to respect her
sister by revealing an old family secret. It seems your sister-in-law
has some hidden reason behind her unconscionable betrayable of her
sister's secret.

She has now planted an unnecessary thought in your mind, and has
made you question your wife's honesty with you. It was uncalled for,
but it has happed now and nothing can be done about it except to try
to forget it and press forward. Who knows what her reason for doing
so was. She was wrong!! If I were you, I would be very leary of this
woman and stay well clear of her. Also, you have no idea what she's
saying to her sister about you.

I have never thought much about unloading unpleasant parts of one's
past life before one meets another....or bnaming names and listing old
loves or conqusts. Especially this very personal type of thing. Unloading
on another may make YOU feel better, but you've only transferred it to
another.....and that is cruel. I have aways believed that the past should
stay in the past....if it is unpleasant or sexual in nature.

You have had a long and wonderful life with your wife, and the two of you
have a wonderful family. And, that is what is important. Don't let anything
ruin that for you, her, or your children.

Good Luck, my friend....
 

goodwood

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Calambo -
Of course its on your mind and good of you to speak of it.
In serious relationships, I insist on openess and honesty because
in such a relationship, such things as you mentioned are spoken of and understood and should you feel better for reassurance from your wife, she would happily offer it or if you had a concern and spoke to her of it, she would be more than happy to understand you even more than she does.
I understand that we all have things that our spouses/partners don't know about and I am not suggesting a blab fest. But if my wife knew something about me that she wanted to know, that she knew to be fact, and wanted to know by my telling her, I would be sad that she would not trust me enough to ask me about it.
 

dicky8788

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hi
live a life learning to forget others mistakes more so ur better half...if she is fine enough for after marriage doin a good neat job of a lovin wife then cool off ... dump ur inner feelings which r negative in nature to the pits...lead a peaceful life..all the best