I’ve been happily married for 16 years, 3 kids. I got married young, neither of us had dated much before we were married. We’ve of course had our ups and downs as every relationships does but for the most part we feel pretty strong in our marriage, and like we’re mostly doing ok in our family life. I recently went on a solo trip to visit family. On my return flight, which was 8hrs long, my seat mate, flirted nonstop with me. I made it clear I was married, but the flirty banter continued and I admittedly indulged it a little. I didn’t flirt back intentionally, but I also didn’t shut down his flirtations, and honestly enjoyed the laughter through our 8hr flight. I didn’t even catch his name…
I would never leave or cheat on my husband. But the feeling of being attractive to someone else, and being flirted with so intentionally has left me feeling kind of “alive” and realizing just how much that has been lacking in our marriage. My husband says he finds me attractive… but after 16 years, 3 kids, and just going through the motions of day to day life, it’s hard to feel like a human being, like I’m more than just a mom, and how to feel attractive, sexy and reignite that fire again.
Part of me feels guilty for indulging the flirting, and part of me just enjoyed it so much that I’m craving feeling that “wanted” again.
I’m an active member and temple attendee, and this has caught me so completely off guard.
I don’t know what to do moving forward to a) stop thinking about the flirting encounter b) how to channel that desire for more, back into my marriage c) have I broken the law of chastity by allowing that encounter and feeling so “excited” by it?
