Originally Posted by callmedaisy

I've scoured these forums trying to find someone "like me" to look for some hope.

We're both 43, married 7 years, together 9 years, no kids.

After feeling some distance/detachment over the past few weeks we had some sad and scary conversations this weekend and it was clear to me that my husband is unsure of where he wants to be. He says he loves me - repeatedly - and when I've asked if he's still in love with me he says yes. But he also says he's not felt that we are "lovers" for some time now. We have sex about once per week, only we've not had it for the past three weeks. We've tried but he is not...um...successful if you understand my meaning.

I didn't expect our conversation to go that way. I know. I'm sure. I want to fight for us. I want to throw whatever it takes at this to make it right. To fix it. He tells me he knows how much he loves me, that he knows he's always been able to count on me. When I said that I always thought I could count on him, he looked pained, and hugged me, and said he doesn't want to hurt me. He says he hopes our marriage works but also that "it's fair to say there is a specter of ambiguity" over him.

I know I can never really know 110% but I don't believe there's anyone else for him, and certainly not for me. I suspect he's gotten closer to a female colleague at work but he has few friends and I don't begrudge him this one. I don't think she's the issue (and my antenna is on crazy high alert, if there was even a sliver of doubt, I'd call it out)

I don't know what to do with that. We both talked about finding ways to reconnect, make each other laugh, etc., but I don't know how to do that without it feeling sudden, or forced, or insincere. I don't want to risk seeming clingy or pushing him away while trying to get closer to him.

We have had a GREAT marriage. We rarely fight. We've been great partners. This is our first rough patch and maybe because it's our first it seems bigger than it is? I don't know. I need perspective. Our friends would be SHOCKED to know we're struggling.

How did we get here? I don't know. It's been a rough year for us individually - a health scare, two insane jobs, it's just been a slog. He's in a particularly bad place with his job right now - dissatisfied with his role, short-staffed, cranky. I would love to attribute what's going on in our marriage to that but I know that's not the full story. But I hope that if part of that can be resolved he might "come back" a bit more.

Up until recently I've never felt more sure about anyone or anything and now I just feel like I've been hit by an earthquake. There are cracks in my foundation and I don't know what to do or how to start.

I want to ask him 400 questions. I want to put the fire out, close the door, <insert your cliche here> but I know that's not possible.

Does this sound familiar? What do I do? How do I do it?

I love this man so much. He is my soulmate. I have to believe that I am his - I get him in a way no one else has or does. It just seems surreal to me that I had to ask him if he wanted a divorce (he says no), or a separation (he says we're not there...yet - oh how that "yet" stabbed me), or counseling (he says let's try working it ourselves first).

I'll take any advice.

Thank you.