DEAR ABBY: I'll be 40 this year and I'm experiencing a midlife crisis. I have been married for 19 years, but realized several months ago that I haven't been happy in years.
I want to make some changes in my life, but I'm insecure about going it alone after so many years. I have been feeling a strong need to be on my own for a while to explore my passions and options. Any advice on how to explain this to my husband? -- IN FLUX IN PENNSYLVANIA
DEAR IN FLUX: Before you throw away a marriage of nearly 20 years, please discuss this with a licensed therapist. Your therapist can help you decide what to do. While you may tell your husband this isn't about him -- it's about you -- he is sure to take the news very personally. And once you have separated in order to explore your passions and options, he will do the same, and it may not be possible to "go home" again.