conuly: (Default)
conuly ([personal profile] conuly) wrote in [community profile] agonyaunt2025-02-05 03:36 pm

(no subject)

DEAR ABBY: My husband has a female friend he grew up with. They have exchanged "happy birthday" texts for many years. However, they have recently begun texting more often. An example: One night he was mixing a drink and texted her about whether to use Pepsi or Coke.

On his birthday, I watched for her text and saw it had two heart emojis on either side of her message. This bothered me a great deal, and I told him his flirting via texting needed to stop. He says I'm being unreasonable and he is doing nothing wrong. This has caused a rift between us.

Abby, AM I unreasonable? I did see a therapist who said my husband has an emotional relationship with this woman and I had every right to be upset. The therapist also said he should stop because I am his wife and he sees how much this upsets me. My husband's response? "Well, you told the therapist YOUR side of the story." We have been married 18 years and together for 24. He is a good partner, and I do love him. What is your advice? -- SUSPICIOUS IN IOWA


DEAR SUSPICIOUS: Your husband had a point when he said your therapist has heard only one side of the story. You have been married to a "good partner" for 18 years and together for 24. If your husband hasn't shown signs of straying before, it's unlikely he's doing anything more than communicating with an old friend. Hearts included in a text message may seem effusive, but they aren't necessarily declarations of romantic love. Some joint sessions with an unbiased marriage and family therapist may help to calm your fears. I heartily recommend it.

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katiedid717: (Default)

[personal profile] katiedid717 2025-02-05 09:47 pm (UTC)(link)
I wonder how old this LW and her husband are. While i know that i personally would be unlikely to use heart emojis in a text with a platonic male friend, i also wouldn't consider
❤️HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!❤️
to be all that different from messages like
🥳HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!🥳
🎉HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!🎉
🎂HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!🎂

I feel like LW is making a mountain out of a molehill here
katiedid717: (Default)

[personal profile] katiedid717 2025-02-05 10:03 pm (UTC)(link)
Yes, but I also feel like there's a difference between how a 35-year-old and a 55-year-old might perceive those messages. Plus so much of it also depends on how the letter writer herself uses certain emojis since that would also influence her perception of the emojis
ashbet: (Default)

[personal profile] ashbet 2025-02-05 10:28 pm (UTC)(link)
I’m 49, and I misuse ❤️s all the time with platonic friends, especially for things like “congratulations“ or “happy birthday.”
katiedid717: (Default)

[personal profile] katiedid717 2025-02-05 10:36 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm 39, I will occasionally use ❤️/🩷/💖 with my female friends. With male friends, I am much less likely to use a heart with the exception of using 💙 and 🖤 when I replied to condolence messages after my father died a few years ago
jadelennox: Senora Sabasa Garcia, by Goya (Default)

[personal profile] jadelennox 2025-02-06 04:31 am (UTC)(link)

I'm 51, and not only my male friends and I, but also my male coworkers and I, send hearts to each other all the time. On work slack it often just means 'thank you'.

ioplokon: purple cloth (Default)

[personal profile] ioplokon 2025-02-05 11:24 pm (UTC)(link)
Personally, I wouldn't read it as romantic but it is ambiguous. It's not a birthday cake but also not an eggplant.