З життя
З віком я зрозуміла, що більше ніколи не хочу одружуватися
З віком я зрозуміла, що більше ніколи не хочу заміж
З роками я усвідомила, що завжди була ідеальною матір’ю — турботливою, ніжною, без шкідливих звичок, тією, на кого діти могли покластися у будь-яку хвилину. У мене їх троє: два сини і дочка, яких я виховувала з любов’ю та самовідданістю. Найменшого, Олександра, я народила у 37, і між ним та старшими дітьми — велика різниця у віці. Я завжди була для них опорою, мов кам’яна стіна, але тепер, озираючись назад, розумію, як мало залишала собі.
Моє життя пройшло в працях. Я невтомно працювала, тягнула сім’ю, а на себе витрачала мізер. Усе йшло на дітей, на дім, на затишок для них. Нікуди не їздила, не відпочивала, не балувала себе — хоча в глибині душі дуже цього хотіла! До шлюбу я була іншою: вільною, легкою, часто подорожувала до моря, в гори, куди душа кликала. А потім вийшла заміж за Миколу. Він не був поганою людиною — не пив, не курив, дбав про дім, як міг. Але його безлад бісив мене: речі валялися всюди, хаос став частиною нашого життя. І в 55 років, коли діти виросли і розлетілися, я раптом поглянула на себе і зрозуміла: більше так не можу.
Ми жили у просторому будинку під Києвом, але цей будинок давно перестав бути моїм. У Миколи з’явилося дороге хобі — полювання. Три породистих гончих пса, арсенал зброї, сараї, заповнені спорядженням, — усе це поглинало його час і гроші. А я? Я навіть не могла завести кота — він їх терпіти не міг. Багато що, що мені подобалося, викликало в нього лише роздратування. Мої мрії, мої маленькі радості задихалися під його байдужістю.
Шість років тому, у вересні, я вийшла на пенсію, але залишилася працювати — звичка тримати усе під контролем не відпускала. І ось, ставши пенсіонеркою, я наважилася. Запропонувала Миколі розлучення з умовою: я залишаю йому наш трикімнатний будинок, гараж, машину, всі меблі, його собак і рушниці, а в обмін прошу лише двокімнатну квартиру для себе. Він погодився без суперечок — на той час наш зв’язок став тонким, як нитка. Діти поїхали, дім спорожнів, і я втомилася жити для нього, розчиняючись у 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 пусті стіни, де не було і сліду минулого. І знаєте, я була щаслива — до сліз, до тремтіння в грудях! Вперше за десятиліття я вдихнула на повні груди. Почала облаштовуватися поступово: замінила труби, поставила нові вікна, оновила двері. Кожен цвях, забитий у цю квартиру, був моїм маленьким тріумфом.
Ми розлучилися офіційно, і з тих пір моє життя засяяло новими фарбами. Тепер я щороку їжджу до Чорного моря, слухаю живу музику на концертах, вирушаю в подорожі, про які мріяла в молодості. У мене живуть два пухнастих кота — породисті, горді, мої вірні супутники. З дітьми в мене чудові стосунки: вони радіють за мене, телефонують, приїжджають в гості. І зараз, у свої майже 62, я почуваюся так легко, так спокійно, що не боюся сказати: це найщасливіші роки мого життя. Я не хочу нічого змінювати, не хочу втратити цю свободу.
Заміж знову? Ніколи. Я віддала занадто багато — роки, сили, мрії — щоб знову пов’язати себе узами, які можуть стати кайданами. Незабаром мені виповниться 62, і я молюся тільки про одне: щоб не згаснути завтра, щоб ще довгі роки насолоджуватися цим новим, моїм світом. Це моя історія — історія жінки, яка нарешті знайшла себе після десятиліть жертв. І я не віддам це щастя нікому.
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