It's been a long time coming

For the first time, I am writing about my first marriage.

Twenty-nine years ago, today, I swapped vows with my first husband. It ended badly a few months later.

For a good portion of my adult life I wouldn't even admit to the marriage. I used to make a point of wording my sentences very carefully when discussing former husbands so that someone had to listen very, very carefully to hear that I could count more than two. I have a son from my second marriage and a daughter from my third (which is where I parked and have stayed for 22+ years), so it is impossible not to refer to at least one ex-husband. I was mighty clever for a long time, and no one figured it out.

In recent years I have been more open about it, but I share very little information with anyone beyond my immediate family and close circle of friends. I'm honestly not sure exactly who knows what because I talk about it so little.

I was trying to decide if the story I am ready to tell would be best written as an essay or a short story. So far the essay approach is winning out.

I'm kind of excited.