Low compatibility
I've been married for 4 years. When I was dating my wife I was recently single. I was engaged to my ex but deep down it was more of a peer pressure or somehow what was expected from me.
so when I met my wife, we were happily dating for 4/5 months and I felt a strong connection then I got her pregnant, everything was fast tracking. We got married, and I wasn't feel pressured in a negative way but more towards doing the right thing.
she asked me if I was ready to deal with this lifestyle changes, I cant explain what made me do it but there was a force within me to start a family with her despite being strangers. Since then, the relationship was in turmoil and we can't seems to connect. We would laugh still but most of the times, I made her feel bad, sad, disappointed etc.
there's always something wrong with me and I would deny everything, saying that she's setting me for failures. But then I realise that I have not given her what she deserves. I don't have any savings that could support her or our child, and not that I don't want to, but I can't never solve that. She tried to help me and I would change but then I would go back to my old habit.
I ignore our issues, my benchmark is when she's not saying anything, therefore she's fine but she's not. I tried seeking help, I was good for a week or two, a better dad and husband but I would relapse and repeat my wrong doings.
she would get angry and frustrated and compare herself to my ex, how I would do extra miles for my ex but not for her. She asked me if I really want to marry her, and I said yes. I do want to marry her but seems that I'm hurting her more and more with my ignorance and insensitive. I thought I was doing great but turns out she was just holding everything inside, then she would explode and shut her down for days.
I don't know and I cannot explain the reasons behind my action. I sometimes questioned myself if what she said was true, that I was indeed a coward and a liar. That I was too scared to abort the baby or I was under the impression of finally found my happiness, that I finally settle down and to prove those who doubted me that I can be reliable. She asked if I love her why am I not loving her. I do love her and I thought my way of loving her is enough. I don't blame her for feeling that I wasn't giving enough to her, I admit that. She also admits that she too can't love me the way I needed to be loved. But I don't even know how I needed to be loved.
one time she said to me that why I never proposed to her. I said to her well I marry you , we're married why do I need to propose you. She explained that when someone propose someone, it means that person is ready and prepared to take someone into their lives. A person wouldn't just propose someone empty handed she said. When I proposed to my ex, I didn't really have anything. Everything was joint with my ex. We were renting at her parents house, she handles the savings etc and we were able to go on holidays etc. When we broke up, we split our savings and that's it.
when I marry my wife, I thought i can afford life as parents. We split rent, bills etc. So when she said that I didn't provided her any financial support, she was right but I couldn't really think of anything to make that different, instead I would just blame the house we rent is too expensive, she's not working etc. But when we did our household calculation, she was contributing more to our family. As a husband, i feel ashamed but I didn't do anything. I thought that me being there for her, helping her caring for our child is supportive enough. As long as we have a roof and food, we're good.
I do feel like a failure and that I can't give her happiness, she feels the same way too. These days, we're just trying our best to be civil in front of our kid, but no connection between us. I said many times we should reconnect bla bla but when she asked me how, I can't answered that. I don't know. So I hand that to her to think or what she thinks it's a way to reconnect.
she said to me that her hopes is to leave this relationship when she's independent enough to be on her own. She said it's hurting for her to live this life, and it's not fair for both of us to not feel and have love. She loves me as the father to our child, but as a person, she lost that hope faith and love.
I tend to sleep and wash it away with playing games etc. She would too distract herself with her hobbies.
I honestly don't know what to do.
@sleeplessiniris Gosh that sounds like a really really sad situation, being distant with your wife of four years, being unable to connect and feeling like a loser for soooo many reasons-not proposing, not being able to connect, not providing financial support and all and all. But somewhere I get the feeling that you feel pressured to be a certain way, and you see yourself as not reaching that benchmark or level and feel not good enough, feel incapable or something- is that true?
@sleeplessiniris
Of course, I don't know your situation in full detail, but I was struck by a few things you wrote and maybe it would be worth answering.
You wrote: „We would laugh still but most of the times, I made her feel bad, sad, disappointed etc.“ Question: What exactly does that mean? Do you really think you're here to make anyone happy? How would you like to do that? You can make someone laugh. And it seems normal to me that we can also make the other sad. It just belongs to life. What do you think?
„But then I realise that I have not given her what she deserves.“ This is similar to the previous one.
„I do feel like a failure and that I can't give her happiness, she feels the same way too.“ This is similar to the previous one.
„She tried to help me and I would change but then I would go back to my old habit.“ It seems to me that you think something is wrong with you.
„I tried seeking help, I was good for a week or two, a better dad and husband but I would relapse and repeat my wrong doings.“ What exactly does it mean to be good to you? Who should you be good for and why?
„….to prove those who doubted me that I can be reliable.“ Who do you have to prove and why?
I don't want to blame anyone. Because there is no one to blame. I don't think there's anything wrong with you. Not even with your wife. It seems to me like a misunderstanding and both of you have different ideas about what the relationship is about. It seems to me that somehow you expect something from each other. That one should be such and such. And the task is to make the other person happy. And be good and prove something to the other.
What relationship would you like to have? And what does a relationship mean to you?