DEAR ABBY: I am 26 and lived with "Mackie" for three years. Although we were not legally married, I referred to him as "my husband."
We have now split up. I refer to this as "the divorce," and the time we were together as "when we were married." My conservative mother seems to understand why I do this. However, others choose to correct me -- rather rudely.
My question is, what would you call this? And what do I say to those who feel the need to tell me how I should attribute an event in my life? -- SINGLE NOW, IN MISSISSIPPI
DEAR SINGLE NOW: As much as you loved "Mackie" and "felt" married while you were together, the reality is that you were not legally married. I agree that when couples end their relationships -- married or not -- it is a divorce in the emotional sense. And my Webster's New World Dictionary, Third College Edition, defines divorce as "any complete separation or disunion." So you're half-right. Tell them that the divorce was as painful as if you'd had a marriage license, and let it go at that.