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“Money and success don’t change people. They merely amplify what is already there,” Will Smith, the slappy actor of The Pursuit of Happiness, once said. And while Smith’s resistance to an overly opulent lifestyle is impressive, even admirable, there are unfortunately countless stories where fame consumes people entirely, turning people most dear to us into unrecognizable, Gucci-obsessed ghouls.
Which is the exact case of u/PassengerTraining913, who recently dumped it off his chest what a painful transformation he had to endure of his wife, dazzled by career highs and a lifestyle that once seemed only possible in movies. Not recognizing the person he fell in love with in the first place, the author shared what it’s like to see your soulmate drift farther and farther away from you, one extravagant step at a time.
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One of the hardest things in life is seeing the people you love change unrecognizably
Image credits: nd3000 (not the actual photo)
Witnessing the changes in his wife’s humble lifestyle after a hefty promotion, the author shared how the person he fell in love with slowly succumbed to fame
Image credits: RossHelen (not the actual photo)
Image credits: wikipedia.org (not the actual photo)
Image credits: PassengerTraining913
Fame is a dangerous drug. Whether from the flash of a camera or the thrill of endless Instagram likes, it can either help a person reach their full potential or ruin them entirely. In some cases, it does both, leaving celebrities mourning for the simple life their former selves used to lead. Billie Eilish, one of the highest-paid pop singers of her age, said that fame is “trash.” Kristen Stewart described fame as “the worst thing in the world”. Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain, although desperate for fame, as his wife Courtney Love claimed, had lost everything in pursuit of it, including his life and marriage.
As fame has always held allure for many, the quest for celebrity status has become intertwined with our lives, especially with the advent of social media, which keeps us fixated on well-known personas. A study conducted in 2012 discovered a strong association between the desire for fame and expressing a wish for social acknowledgment, financial prosperity, an appealing appearance, and a desire to participate in reality television. A 2013 survey revealed that individuals may aspire to attain fame in order to be recognized and appreciated, even by unknown individuals, to enjoy a prestigious and high-ranking lifestyle, or to have the ability to positively impact others as a role model.
One of the more well-known examples of how notoriety can ruin beautiful relationships is documented by Jane Hawking, the first wife of Stephen Hawking, the iconic scientist, who she divorced in 1990 after 25 years together. “[We] were engulfed and then swept away by a wave of fame and fortune. It got rather too much for me to cope with,” she is known to have said. Even Hawking admitted that his newfound fame did not do any good in his first marriage.
OP added more details to the heartfelt story
People were very supportive in the comments, wishing the author the best of luck in bringing the person he fell in love with back
Later, OP gave a heartbreaking update to his story
Image credits: Prostock-studio (not the actual photo)
Image credits: alexey turenkov (not the actual photo)
Image credits: PassengerTraining913
What do you think ?
Lauren Caswell 1 year ago
Well that was just heartbreaking. I hope this man finds more family connections to his past back home, reminders of his mum and stuff that aren't tied to his ex-wife
Debbie 1 year ago
It was indeed heartbreaking, but he's on a good path now. He can find happiness again - doesn't need to be with a person, as being with someone isn't magically creating happiness. He sounds calm, heartbroken yes, but accepting the situation and knowing this is what had to happen. Now he can start building again. He sounds like a great guy with lots of love. I hope he'll do well.
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xolitaire 1 year ago
you know what, no. screw wishing her "the best". That flew out of the window the moment she said she deserved a partner of equal "worth". Screw her.
Monday 1 year ago
God I hope he gets a good lawyer for that divorce. They moved for her job. He left his job for her job. He needs a lawyer that will get him a fat chunk of that money she's so intent on splurging.
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Shannon Donnelly 1 year ago
Honestly, I think she did him a favor telling him she wanted a divorce. Now he knows that the woman he married IS gone and so are all the "what if's?" that we're banging around in his head. He got the answers he needed, even if they weren't the ones he wanted. My heart hurts for him, but at least he can move forward and start picking up the pieces and glueing them back together. I think he's going to find he's already been through the worst. Love and blessings to him and his dog (and Clio).
Q B F T 1 year ago
"the woman he married IS gone" and I think, for her, maybe, the man she married is gone too. In 9 years, people grow and change a lot - they both surely have. A couple can grow together (or in support of each others' growth), or apart - these guys probably the latter, right. You'd hope after a decade the man you married is not the man you married, but you'd hope they're still someone who complements you and is complemented by you.
Load More Replies...
Lauren Caswell 1 year ago
Well that was just heartbreaking. I hope this man finds more family connections to his past back home, reminders of his mum and stuff that aren't tied to his ex-wife
Debbie 1 year ago
It was indeed heartbreaking, but he's on a good path now. He can find happiness again - doesn't need to be with a person, as being with someone isn't magically creating happiness. He sounds calm, heartbroken yes, but accepting the situation and knowing this is what had to happen. Now he can start building again. He sounds like a great guy with lots of love. I hope he'll do well.
Load More Replies... xolitaire 1 year ago
you know what, no. screw wishing her "the best". That flew out of the window the moment she said she deserved a partner of equal "worth". Screw her.
Monday 1 year ago
God I hope he gets a good lawyer for that divorce. They moved for her job. He left his job for her job. He needs a lawyer that will get him a fat chunk of that money she's so intent on splurging.
Load More Replies... Shannon Donnelly 1 year ago
Honestly, I think she did him a favor telling him she wanted a divorce. Now he knows that the woman he married IS gone and so are all the "what if's?" that we're banging around in his head. He got the answers he needed, even if they weren't the ones he wanted. My heart hurts for him, but at least he can move forward and start picking up the pieces and glueing them back together. I think he's going to find he's already been through the worst. Love and blessings to him and his dog (and Clio).
Q B F T 1 year ago
"the woman he married IS gone" and I think, for her, maybe, the man she married is gone too. In 9 years, people grow and change a lot - they both surely have. A couple can grow together (or in support of each others' growth), or apart - these guys probably the latter, right. You'd hope after a decade the man you married is not the man you married, but you'd hope they're still someone who complements you and is complemented by you.
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