I wouldn't know. My only LTR was a long and happy marriage to my late wife. It was great until she got dementia and later died from it. If not for that, I would still be married and happy, instead of dealing with the bullshit and baggage of all the divorced women who make up most of my local dating pool on Match. I'm sure there are plenty of exceptions, but I know little about them as they seem to have rigid, narrow standards which cause them to seldom choose me for potential dating and reply to my messages. Most of the women I have connected with from online dating seem to have lots of baggage and unrealistic standards, so I can only guess that most of them have never gotten any therapy after their divorces, only things like divorce groups or church courses on divorce, etc. Nothing that was professionally run by a licensed therapist or any kind of intensive individual therapy. So maybe that's why I never got the pleasure of being spoiled and adored by a grateful divorced woman, except for my late wife, who had two shitty marriages before me.

Maybe she did so because she was a transplant to my backward state, was a fellow non-believer, and didn't have all the usual brainwashing of most women raised in the Midwest,, just a thought, Canndue, in case you are watching......

“Prepare to learn some things”? Like how not to be a selfish bastard? Like how to respectfully treat a woman? Like how to carry your share of the load? Like how to not be a selfish lover? Shall I go on?

My late partner was i a shitty marriage for 25 years. Yes, she desperately wanted something new and better but there was still that lack of knowledge of how real relationships should work (it was her first and only relationship). It took a while for her to realize her past relationship was not normal and definitely not loving. I suspect that if a person (male or female) have had a couple of bad relationships it''s harder for them to step out of that frame of mind.

All the women I know have been in shitty marriages.

How about 2 shitty marriages and one common law marriage? I am a caring and loving partner and my newest male friend appreciates the support I give him when he's bedside with his comatose friend and law enforcement partner, caring for his aging mother and rescuing abandoned and abused animals. I feel like he sees who I am as a person. not just a sexual partner. This is a first for me. It feels good.

Absolutely been there it's amazing

So true. I gave the first man I dated after my long, shitty marriage some much appreciated attention!

The first guy I dated after escaping my marriage years ago was a very lucky man. Not sure he learned anything, but he was sure lucky!