We all know that what we see on TV is different than real life, but so much of what we see on TV reflects what we see around us that sometimes we make assumptions based on what we have seen without realizing it. On TV a married couple that has decided to split is often shown as two angry people, who sometimes argue about who will “get the kids” or money issues, and then they are divorced within the same tv episode or movie. Sometimes one spouse asks the other to “just sign the papers”, as though everything is a straightforward matter than can be resolved with one document being signed.
The reality that I have seen is that it is not a fast process, is much more complicated, and involves many more emotions than just anger. Although technically a Canadian married couple can be divorced after living separate and apart for twelve months, many couples don’t get divorced until many years after they are separated. Some couples don’t get divorced at all – they keep the legal status of “separated” for the rest of their lives. The only legal reason to become divorced is so that one of them can get married again. For some couples, the financial or emotional cost is not worth it.
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