Another Other Woman

Yesterday I had dinner with a friend of a friend. We were introduced because we are both artists and women with management careers as well. My friend who knows I am always in that “this or that” tug of war with work said, “You should meet Mary; she has the same struggle.”

So we had dinner and I was delighted. She’s smart, funny, thoughtful and spiritual. We talked through dinner about our careers, the challenges of having two kinds of work that we love, the big step to getting studios, the building of our portfolios. She mentioned her husband, his support for her as an artist, how they talk about these career issues. I asked how long they had been married. “It will be 16 years this month,” she said.

So I asked, “How did you meet him?” And there was a long pause.
“Well", she said slowly, "when we met we were both married to other people.”

Yes, she was the other woman. It’s 16 years later and they are happy—and so are the exes. A gift this dinner. She is the counterpoint to those who say, “It never works out.”