If a spouse is cheated on, it can understandably be very difficult to get back to a place where he/she can treat the cheating spouse with civility and respect. If a spouse is cheated on and her husband's multiple affairs become daily news fodder, it is likely much harder. Four years after her divorce from Tiger Woods, however, Elin Nordegren has been able to do just that. Elin Nordegren Breaks Her 4-Year Silence on Tiger Woods, by Sandra Sobieraj Westfall, people.com, May 21, 2014.
In an interview with People magazine, Nordegren describes her current relationship with Woods as "really good" and "centered around our children." The exes see each other regularly as they share custody of their two children. Nordegren says Woods' infidelity caused her to go "through the wringer," but she would "tamp down the animosity for the kids' sake" because her dream was always "that the kids can have two loving parents that show respect for each other." Surprisingly, Nordegren says she never doubted that they would eventually find this balance, though she went through intensive therapy to help her get there.
Anyone going through a divorce with children should look at this example set by Nordegren. She went through a gut-wrenching situation and no one would blame her if she never wanted to have anything to do with Woods. But she was able to see the bigger picture - that, through her kids, she would be connected to him for life. The children will definitely benefit by her grace in the situation. At some point, when their children get older, they may ask why their parents got divorced, or they may even hear rumors about their father's infidelity. Hopefully these parents can work together to explain everything to their children with this same grace.