After 25 years of marriage, I made the difficult decision to divorce my husband. The reason? He refused to support my passion for pursuing a photo modeling career, something I had always dreamed of but never had the courage to truly chase.

For years, I put his needs, his career, and our family’s stability before my own. I sacrificed parts of myself to keep our life together, thinking that would make us both happy. But as I got older, I realized I was losing a part of me I couldn’t ignore any longer. I had always loved fashion, photography, and the idea of being seen in a way I’d never allowed myself to be.

When I finally brought up my dream of modeling, hoping for understanding and encouragement, his response was dismissive at best. He told me I was too old to be thinking about such things, that it wasn’t practical, and that it wasn’t something he could support. His words stung, but deeper still was the realization that after all those years together, he didn’t see me as more than just a wife and mother—he couldn’t see me as a woman with dreams of her own.

It wasn’t easy to leave after so long, but I knew I had to. I couldn’t let my dreams die for the sake of someone else’s comfort. Now, as I step into my middle age, I’m learning to embrace who I am outside of the roles I’ve been playing for so long. I’ve found a new sense of freedom, even if it’s still a little scary. I’m starting my photo modeling career, and for the first time in years, I feel like I’m truly living for myself.