summary ofConscious UncouplingBook by Katherine Woodward Thomas

first KEY POINT

We expect true love to last forever, but it doesn’t always work that way

Perhaps we watch too many romantic comedies or we read too many fairy tales as a child, but as a society, we believe that true love is supposed to last forever.We don’t enter into any relationship or marriage and expect that it’s going to come to an abrupt or long foreseen end. We go into any relationship with an open heart and an expectation that it’s going to last for a long time.

Katherine Woodward Thomas split from her husband of a decade and she never expected it to happen. Who would? It’s not something we think about. However, in the middle of all the pain and confusion, she wanted to be sure that the breakup would be an amicable and loving end, and not cause any undue distress or upset to their daughter.When a relationship ends, most people feel a sense of deep shock and loss. There are countless emotions coursing through you at the time, but perhaps one of the most painful thoughts is that you somehow failed. What was meant to be never came your way. We also worry about what other people are going to say, and the stress of making the split public is enough to push you over the edge. The bottom line is that sometimes love just doesn’t last, no matter how much love you have for one another, and no matter how long you’ve been together.