Maggie - I can relate to a lot of your beginning, your middle, and your end. There is so much that goes on that results in the demise of a marriage and each of us heal differently. My ex- asked me if we could be friends. I just needed space away and the more time I spent away from him the more I started to see the impact our equation had on me as a person. I am still healing. I am not ready to be friends. For my own sake, I hope to be able to talk to him like I would a stranger on the street - without any emotions evoked. And I am saying that about a person whom I've know for more than half my life.