admin Later down the line, I fantasized about it as an easier option, to just walk away from the months of heartbreak that followed, the hard conversations that kept recurring, the mental comparison your brain flirts with and you have to conquer. Of course, I know myself—and from friends sharing their experiences—that there is no easy choice, and for some there is no choice at all.
The reality is that marriage and long-term partnerships can be hard, and infidelities are a surprisingly common occurrence. As I went through the healing process, I realized I couldn’t hear the voices of the women who chose to dig in and sort through the hard stuff.
I did wonder at the time how women in the public eye, whose partners were rumored to have strayed, got through, under the scrutiny. I understand why they wouldn’t share intimate details, but hearing those voices might have helped me, or at the least made me feel less isolated as I navigated the emotional upheaval.
It’s why I’m appreciative of Victoria’s candid acknowledgement of how hard that time in their life was, and how they’ve worked through it. So to the cynics who have accused them of revealing it all now to boost the authenticity of Brand Beckham, I say: Try to live this experience even without the media spotlight, and see how you fare.
I also know from personal experience that the healing process takes time—it took me over a year of intense and often uncomfortable therapy to deal with all my emotions; to be honest with myself and also my partner. It took me five years to be able to tell others about our experience, to have the space from the intensity of the heartache, and the ability to discuss it without breaking down!
Our relationship has changed forever, and now—with some time and perspective—I feel proud of how hard we both worked to stay in our marriage. I can imagine the Netflix premiere, with all the family together, was a proud moment for the Beckham clan, too. When you’ve worked hard, I understand it’s something to celebrate.
This story originally appeared on glamourmagazine.co.uk.
