The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #121822   Message #2665411
Posted By: Amos
26-Jun-09 - 03:03 PM
Thread Name: BS: Sexual Infidelity
Subject: RE: BS: Sexual Infidelity
There really is no issue of guilt per se, but one of broken agreements. More important, breaking an agreementwith enough importance to be elevated to the stature of "vow".

Opting for the indulgence in feelings over internal stature means you walk into the next morning with your feelings momentarily satiated and your ability to keep your own word and be true to your own commitments semi-permanently dinged. This is a stupid bargain to make.

In addition, breaking agreements with others is hurtful, and breaking very important ones with others is often very hurtful. So in addition to seriously dinging your own integrity, you have undermined the trust of the relationship AND hurt someone else. THis makes it a prohibitively expensive indulgence, just as doing some bizarre tempting drug might be.

If there is "guilt"--meaning a wish to turn back the clock and undo what has been done--it comes only from these things. AFAIK the only remedy is to rebuild your integrity anew by embracing higher standards of honesty and communication than you have done in the past, and suffer through the climb back up into your own good graces.

A