For 17 years, my husband Mike avoided traveling with me and our family. He always had an excuse, and I assumed he just didn’t enjoy vacations. But when our family planned a trip to the Virgin Islands, Mike’s behavior became increasingly strange. His resistance to joining us sparked a chain of events that would change everything.
As I looked through old photos of our family vacations, I realized that Mike had always found a reason to stay behind. My sons, Ethan and Ben, had grown accustomed to their father’s absence on trips, but they longed to share these experiences with him. I tried to reassure them that Mike just wasn’t a fan of traveling, but deep down, I knew there had to be more to the story.
When my mom invited us to join her in the Virgin Islands, I saw it as the perfect opportunity to create lasting memories with our family. But Mike’s reluctance to join us only intensified. He claimed he was busy with work, but I sensed there was something more.
The tension between us grew, and I began to feel like I was walking on eggshells around Mike. His short, distracted phone calls while I was on vacation only added to my unease. Something was amiss, and I was determined to uncover the truth.
I cut my trip short and returned home, my mind racing with possibilities. What I found when I walked through the front door shocked me to my core. Mike was sitting on the couch with a woman I had never seen before. My initial reaction was anger and betrayal, but as I listened to Mike’s explanation, my emotions shifted.
The woman, Dr. Keller, was Mike’s therapist. He had been seeing her to overcome his fear of flying, a phobia that had been holding him back from joining us on vacations. Mike’s fear was rooted in a childhood experience, and he had been too ashamed to share it with me.
As I listened to Mike’s story, I felt a mix of emotions: shock, empathy, and regret. I realized that I had been so focused on my own frustrations that I had neglected to consider Mike’s struggles. His fear was real, and it had been controlling his behavior for years.
In that moment, something shifted between us. Mike’s vulnerability and willingness to confront his fear created a new sense of understanding and connection. We began to plan our next vacation together, one that would include Mike overcoming his phobia and joining us on a plane.
As we sat at the kitchen table, mapping out our next adventure, I felt a sense of hope and renewal. Our journey was far from perfect, but in that moment, I knew that we were ready to face whatever came next, together.
