Dear Prudence,
We have been married for about 25 years. We have two adult children, a house, dog and basically your average suburban existence. One of us has been the only income provider for some two-thirds of this time. There is no sex life, or rather it ended between us about 15 years ago, when my spouse decided to seek other diversions. This blew up in a nasty, acrimonious fashion, with my spouse’s romantic entanglements causing issues for another married couple. Eventually we were able to pick up the pieces; but still, there is no intimacy, and the kind of emotional connection we once treasured is dead. We are, frankly, roommates and friends who share minimal parenting plus some investments. I am not satisfied with this, and it seems we’re locked into this mutual dissatisfaction, yet neither of us appears motivated to make a change. Should I make the first move to kill this zombie marriage? Or should I reconcile myself to this cold union?
— Marriage Is…