Chapter 2 - Religion and Marriage

Chapter 2

Religion and Marriage

Through the years of 1987-1993, I sought deliverance and freedom through religion and claimed Jesus Christ as my Savior. I stopped drinking alcohol and started attending church; gradually detaching myself off the medication that had been prescribed for my anxiety attacks. Being actively involved in church, and becoming part of a youth choir and two different groups that I sang with; and also singing solos, duets, and trios, it seemed that things were going well. This lasted several years until I was drawn into a relationship with the wrong woman.

In 1994, my fiancé and I dated for awhile and our relationship culminated with the act of marriage in April 1995.  Little did I know the situation I was getting myself enclosed and surrounded in. Being 31 years of age with things financially tough at the time put a very heavy strain on the marriage, among other situations and circumstances. My wife was very controlling and dominant, and I felt smothered all the time. Everyone needs time to themselves, and she just could not understand that I needed mine. We fought and she cursed while pitching things at me.  This became a way of life until one night when I could not take any more; I just snapped (so to speak).

In the days that followed, I sought help from a lawyer, which required me to travel back and forth to Nassau to seek the best advice on how to handle this turn of events. The lawyer and I both concluded that I would file for a divorce based on the grounds of “mental cruelty.” My soon-to-be ex-wife and I decided to settle out of court, which took place in November, 2000. The divorce was finalized in October, 2001.

The stress of everything that I had endured in the marriage, and the tension of the divorce procedure began to overwhelm me. There were five ladies (whom I call my angels, and still do) who are my very close and dear friends. They gave me great support and encouragement during this time in my life. Nevertheless, the verbal abuse that I went through in my marriage; the stress of traveling back and forth to Nassau dealing with the settlement and divorce all began to take its toll on me, which contributed to the drinking of alcohol; once again.