“I Know My Spouse Is Cheating and I’m Okay With It,” Reveals 50-Year-Old Lise

Every couple has their own understanding of what fidelity means in a relationship, and not everyone sees it the same way. Take Lise, a 50-year-old woman who deeply loves her husband despite his infidelities. She shares her story with us.

My partner and I live near Brest, which is unsurprising since he’s a fisherman, just like his father and grandfather before him. This profession has always intrigued me, a suburbanite born in Colombes near Paris, and it led me to move here nearly 20 years ago. We fell deeply in love at first sight, and I am still madly in love with him. His blue eyes, his confidence, and his fiercely independent mind captivate me. However, he is often away at sea for days, and I know he cheats on me regularly. But this doesn’t affect my feelings for him. It’s as if I’ve become immune to the storms and bad weather of life—I feel no jealousy or anger. I genuinely believe this lifestyle suits him and makes him happy, and that’s what truly matters to me.

Many around us judge me. They think I’m too naive to see what’s happening. It makes me laugh inside. Of course, I know he visits his psychic for more than just fortune telling, or that he doesn’t always spend as much time at sea as he claims… I’ve caught him twice, once with a lovely companion in a café and another time in a park. And I also know, because I sometimes check his emails, that he sees other women in different countries where he goes fishing. It might seem odd, but knowing that I’m his “home port,” the one he always returns to, fills me with pride. They say men never leave their wives when they cheat, and that arrangement works for me. So, I’ve never confronted him. I pretend nothing’s wrong and savor his lies with a hint of mischief.

I’m easy-going; I don’t yell or reproach others. I’m a sophrologist, so I naturally meditate whenever things get tough. During these deep reflections, I’ve identified the foundations of my happiness: being with him, my passions for theater and music which allow me to express myself, and my cherished freedom. What people don’t see is that during his absences, I do as I please. He doesn’t ask anything of me, and I know that if the desire and opportunity came, I wouldn’t hesitate to also have a physical relationship with someone other than him.

So no, I’m not at all submissive. I believe and have always believed that possessiveness is man’s worst enemy. We shouldn’t feel like we own anything or anyone. And it’s entirely possible to cheat and still be happy in a relationship. Trying to change others is a waste of time and energy; accepting their personality in all its aspects allows us to truly focus on ourselves and what makes us happy. I know I don’t need his fidelity, and that is my true freedom.