My absolute best time of my life was also my most painful time of my short 28 year life so far...
In the summer of 2003, my engagement to a woman broke off quite near to our wedding (I needed her to meet with a psychologist to confirm my fears of whether certain behaviors I noticed in here were just stress from planning a wedding/honeymoon/new house together, or if she was truly as harsh/manipulative/cunning/deceitful as she suddenly was becoming...she refused, so things broke apart). She loved being the center of attention, so she went to the local media for a week-long publicity frenzy (eventually later appearing on Good Morning America, and even on Inside Edition:
www.insideedition.com/bride.htm).
However, needless to say, despite going through the pain of it all (especially considering that her statements are either gross exaggerations or outright lies...such as the little fact that I was paying for the whole damn wedding), my happiest moment without a doubt was the observation that I had indeed made a perfect decision on not continuing my relationship/wedding - as her love affair with the media showed what she was truly like deep down inside.
2-week Honeymoon to Italy that she demanded: $6,500 (a more modest 2 week tour at $4,000 wasn't good enough for her)
2.41 Oval G VS2 diamond engagement ring: $17,000 ("50 years is a long time to be married, so it better be a big diamond, because I'm worth it")
new 2,700 square foot house with everything she demanded: $270,000 (mortgaged)
Getting out of a relationship that would have driven me to the nuthouse and into bankruptcy from an out-of-control freespending manipulative self-centered spouse (and possibly lead to an early mysterious death, given other early deaths that men have experienced in her extended family), and giving me volumes of educational lessons on relationships: PRICELESS
For the things in life without a pricetag, a little Divine Intervention always helps. For everything else, there's Peter's savings to plunder.
I'm hoping to find someone (a little more sane this time
) to help make so many other happy memories that will eventually replace my lessons from the school of hard knocks....so hopefully in a few years I'll be able to answer the question with much happier/upbeat scenarios.