It’s been a hard time in my marriage. My husband, Andrew, has grown so detached, and the warmth that once filled our relationship feels like a distant memory. It’s not that I can point to a single moment when things changed, but the gradual shift is undeniable. Where we once laughed together, shared dreams, and savored the comfort of being a team, there’s now a silence that hangs between us, thick and heavy.

I’ve tried to make an effort, to bring some of the spark back that we once had. I’ve dressed up for him, carefully picking out outfits I know he used to compliment me in. I’ve tried to initiate conversations about our day, about life, about our future—anything to reconnect. But when I do, it’s met with indifference, like I’m speaking to a stranger instead of the man I’ve spent so many years with. His responses are short, his attention elsewhere, and it feels like my presence is nothing more than a passing inconvenience.

The lack of acknowledgment stings more than I ever thought possible. It’s the quiet moments, the ones where he doesn’t notice when I’ve made an effort to look nice or when I’ve tried to engage him in something meaningful. I remember when he would comment on how beautiful I looked or make an effort to engage in our conversations. But now, I can’t help but feel invisible, like I’ve become just another part of the background that no longer deserves his attention.

It’s hard to admit, but it feels like I’m being neglected—like I’m unimportant in his eyes. I wonder if he even sees me anymore, not just physically, but as the person I’ve always been—the partner, the woman he once cherished. It’s a crushing realization, and I try to convince myself that it’s just a phase, that maybe work or stress is weighing on him. But the truth is, I’ve been waiting for months, hoping things would change, hoping he’d see me again.

Every day feels like an exercise in patience, but also in heartache. I long for the affection, the connection we used to have. I miss the way he would hold my hand without thinking, the way he would look at me as if I was the most important person in his world. I miss feeling desired, valued, and seen.

I’ve tried to talk to him about it, to express how much his distance is hurting me, but each conversation feels like an uphill battle. He says he’s tired, that he’s under a lot of stress, but the words feel like an excuse now. The distance between us isn’t just physical—it’s emotional, and it’s growing wider with every passing day.

I don’t want to give up on us, but I don’t know how to fix what feels broken. I want to find a way back to the love we once shared, but I’m not sure he even knows where to begin. I just keep hoping that somehow, we can rediscover each other, that the man I married is still in there somewhere, and that we can find our way back to the warmth and connection that once made us feel like we were everything to each other.