A Cheater's Worth

After infidelity, the easiest recourse for a cheated spouse is probably to leave. Staying to grant second chances requires countless sacrifices and steel-clad determination to succeed. The worth of a cheater in an offended partner's eyes can affect the decision of whether to leave or stay.

The times spent together as a happy couple cannot simply be forgotten after one falls into the trap of committing infidelity. The actions and behavior of the cheating spouse before the infidelity took place can possibly have a big bearing on the offended spouse's ultimate decision. Although it cannot totally prevent the possibility of separation, the deciding spouse are given more reasons to reconsider thus providing more hope for the forgiveness of the cheating spouse.

Infidelity can be the last straw for anyone suffering in a relationship for some other reasons such as financial difficulty or in-law problems. People tend to bear physical and emotional hardships more when there is something positive to look forward to such as a stable and loving marriage. When even that is taken away, an aggrieved spouse will be left with no reason to stay.

That is why it is important to invest time in cultivating a marriage. This investment is critical when the marriage goes through a rocky phase because of some mistakes by one or both. It forms the foundation which can hold the marriage when everything else seems to be crumbling down.

The worth of a person who has cheated will be determined by his/her worth as a person, a spouse, a parent, and as a provider or nurturer. Leaving is easier when no redeeming value is offered by the erring spouse since it would appear that the cheater has been lost long before the infidelity occured. The main question that should be answered by someone who has been cheated on is this: Is my cheating spouse worth the risk of a second chance?

Another mistake means more pain but a truly reformed cheater may mean a stronger partner for a more lasting relationship.