Think about the world of hurt that revelations of infidelity can put the victim in. It's like taking a knife and stabbing the person right in the heart.
Studies have shown that emotional pain can be just as damaging -- if not more so -- than physical pain.
And when one experiences this form of betrayal, it can feel as though their world has come crashing down.
Imagine investing your time, effort, and emotions in someone who chose to throw it all away in an act (or several) of pure selfishness.
The least they could do is fess up and allow their partner to find someone who will actually value their loyalty.
Unfortunately, it's very hard to discern early into the relationship whether your partner is prone to cheating, or will slip at some point. (It isn't as if you're going to put out feelers by asking his friends or relatives whether he's strayed with any of his ex girlfriends.)
Because of their wandering eye or habit of texting/talking to unnamed individuals, you may get the sense over the time that something is fishy.
Then again, accusing someone of cheating when you have no concrete proof can be a recipe for disaster, as it conveys that (1) you don't trust the other person, and (2) you don't feel secure in the relationship. It's walking a tightrope, to be sure.
The decision to enter into a relationship is a tacit acknowledgement that you consent to making yourself vulnerable.
You don't know exactly how things will turn out, and infidelity is always a possibility.
But, to return to my original point, those who feel no contrition after cheating on their partner -- especially if they have children together -- never cared in the slightest.
Their excuse for cheating -- whether it was booze, stress at home/work, or a faltering relationship -- won't pass muster with most people. Still, displaying a sense of guilt at least shows there's a smidge of humanity left in the person.
If you find yourself torn by a partner's cheating ways, never give into the temptation to kick yourself for having been with them.
At the end of the day, it's a learning experience you'll bring with you -- a stronger, wiser, more resilient you -- into the next relationship.
Rest assured someone wonderful waits in the wings!
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