In our punitive, righteous culture, where there must always be a loser and the game is Zero Sum, her act of love is radical. Impossible for some of us who could not imagine having the clarity and sense of self – or the tools and knowing – to pull it off.

And what did she pull off? They stay together and the family of four moves forward, together. He gets to be gotten and known in the ugliest of times and loved anyway. (How healing is that?) The kids get to keep their childhoods intact. She gets her best friend and lover back, and a published book. We get to be inspired. The end of suffering is possible. Love is the way.