So I have separate from my wife after being together for over twenty years. We will be getting a divorce. Sometimes life sucks large sacks of balls. People change, people grow. It is the nature of the universe. Life will go on.
Even after 40 years of marriage, people continue to change and grow...needs and wants change...yeah, it is tough, but better to have lived your life and continue living it with everything you have...we only get one shot at it...good luck to you...you will be fine, I promise.
You are young enough to find another mate and have a long relationship. People change. Life throws all kinds of shit at us. Sometimes we are hit with it by the ton, and sometimes by the gram. It seems you got a ton of it; whereas, I'm being buried a gram at a time. You will survive and thrive, I think, but it will take some time to adjust.
You got married at 17 and made it 20 years? Thats a successful relationship in my book, assuming you werent both miserable the whole time. And if you were, even more reason to embrace change. Its hard but dying together isnt necessarily the measure of a successful marriage. People grow n change n sometimes separation is for the best. Im sure its not comforting or easy in the moment but youll get past it for the better as long as you learn what you can from it and avoid worrying too much about the rest.
People do change and sometimes, as in my ex-wife's case, it's not for the better.
Remember the good times and cherish those. Move on when you can.
Ugh I’m sorry. Your life will change hugely, of course, but there will most likely be plenty of good to come out of it. Good luck.