8 Reasons Why

I tend to be wary of online articles that try to snag your eyeballs with such wonders as “10 Ways to Lose 25 Pounds” or “12 Neighborhoods In (insert your town here) Where You Have a Good Chance of Getting Mugged” or “5 Ways To Be a Better Lover.”

It’s not the topics per se – it’s the way they have quantified it that gives me pause. Ten ways to lose 25 pounds when 2 or 3 ways that really worked would be sufficient. But I digress. Often. Unrepentantly.

8 Reasons Baby Boomers Are Clogging Up Divorce Court.

There. That’s the one that stopped me short. The gist of the article is that when boomers hit certain milestones such as a parent passing away or turning 65 or some other life transition, it can trigger divorce action.

Here’s some reasons why. Life expectancy is increasing. Do you really want to spend another 25 years with him/her? Hmm, at least one of you is thinking. Hadn’t really thought about that one.

How about those boomers on their second marriage? Yeah, you. If the first marriage didn’t work out, there is a higher probability that the 2^nd might not either. The US Census Bureau keeps track of this sort of thing and they say 60 percent of second marriages and 73 percent of third marriages will end in divorce.

Let’s pick up the pace here. The kids are gone and on their own, I’m out of here! Heard that one? How about we’re set with our assets so let’s split them and then split. Or you’ve tried a half dozen communication strategies and none of them are working, otherwise known as falling out of love.

Some couples just don’t want the same lifestyle anymore and their values have changed. Why pretend that you agree? Adios.

Infidelity? There’s 2 kinds. One partner is cheating with a honey/sweetie on the side. Or one partner is cheating with the finances. Either way, one of you is unfaithful and that’s grounds for divorce.

Lastly, the relationship has become abusive, verbally, or physically. Sorry if you didn’t see that very big downer coming, but it is a real reason why many boomers end up in divorce court.

Now you can see why I tend to steer clear of articles that open with “8 Reasons Why…” You are better off reading the ones that promise to tell you the “50 Best Places in the U.S. To Retire.” It’s just their way of forcing you to look at 50 online ads for stuff you don’t want, but at least you won’t end up in divorce court.

Unless you can’t agree on the best city in which to retire.

Jay Harrison is a writer and creative consultant for DesignConcept. You can also visit his author page here. His newest mystery novel, Rio Puerco Demise is available on Amazon. His first mystery novel, Head Above Water, is also available on Amazon.