З життя
Чому я вирішила більше ніколи не виходити заміж після певного віку
С віком я зрозуміла, що більше ніколи не хочу виходити заміж
Роками я усвідомлювала, що все життя була ідеальною матір’ю — турботливою, ніжною, без шкідливих звичок, на яку діти могли покластися у будь-яку хвилину. Маю трьох дітей: двох синів та доньку, яких виховувала з любов’ю та самовіддачею. Молодшого, Олексія, я народила у 37, і між ним і старшими дітьми — ціла прірва років. Я завжди була для них опорою, кам’яною стіною, але тепер, озираючись назад, розумію, як мало залишила собі самій.
Моє життя пройшло в трудах. Я невтомно працювала, тягнула родину, але на себе витрачала крихти. Усе йшло на дітей, на дім, на затишок для них. Нікуди не їздила, не відпочивала, не балувала себе — хоча в глибині душі так цього хотіла! До заміжжя я була іншою: вільною, легкою, часто їздила до моря, в гори, куди душа звала. А потім вийшла за Миколу. Він не був поганою людиною — не пив, не курив, дбав про дім, як умів. Але його безлад доводив мене до скаженства: всюди валялися речі, хаос став частиною нашого життя. У 55 років, коли діти виросли і розлетілися, я раптом подивилася на себе і зрозуміла: більше так не можу.
Ми жили у просторому домі під Києвом, але цей дім давно перестав бути моїм. У Миколи з’явилося дороге захоплення — мисливство. Три породистих гончих пса, арсенал зброї, сараї, завалені спорядженням — все це поглинуло його час і гроші. А я? Я навіть не могла завести кота — він їх терпіти не міг. Багато чого, що мені подобалося, викликало у нього лише роздратування. Мої мрії, мої маленькі радощі задихались під його байдужістю.
Шість років тому, у вересні, я вийшла на пенсію, але залишилася працювати — звичка тримати все під контролем не відпускала. І ось, ставши пенсіонеркою, я нарешті зважилася. Запропонувала Миколі розлучення за умовою: я залишаю йому наш трикімнатний дім, гараж, машину, всі меблі, його собак і рушниці, а натомість прошу лише двокімнатну квартиру для себе. Він погодився без суперечок — на той час наш зв’язок звівся нанівець. Діти поїхали, дім спорожнів, і я втомилася жити для нього, розчинятися в його житті, не отримуючи нічого взамін.
У листопаді два роки тому я переїхала в свою нову квартиру в центрі міста. З однією потертою сумкою в руках, у порожні стіни, де не було й сліду минулого. І знаєте, я була щаслива — до сліз, до тремтіння в грудях! Вперше за десятиліття я вдихнула на повні груди. Почала поступово облаштовуватися: замінила труби, встановила нові вікна, оновила двері. Кожен цвях, забитий у цю квартиру, став моєю маленькою перемогою.
Ми розлучилися офіційно, і з тих пір моє життя заграло новими фарбами. Тепер я кожного року їжджу на Чорне море, слухаю живу музику на концертах, вирушаю в подорожі, про які мріяла в молодості. У мене живуть два пухнасті коти — породисті, горді, мої вірні супутники. З дітьми у мене чудові стосунки: вони радіють за мене, телефонують, приїжджають в гості. І зараз, у свої майже 62, я відчуваю себе так легко, так спокійно, що не боюся сказати: це найщасливіші роки мого життя. Я не хочу нічого змінювати, не хочу втратити цю свободу.
Більше заміж? Ніколи. Я віддала занадто багато — роки, сили, мрії — щоб знову пов’язувати себе узами, які можуть стати кайданами. Скоро мені виповниться 62, і я молюся лише про одне: щоб не зникнути завтра, щоб ще довгі роки насолоджуватися цим новим, моїм світом. Це моя історія — історія жінки, яка нарешті знайшла себе після десятиріч жертв. І я не віддам це щастя нікому.
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