Is it 40?

They say that after the Dirty Thirties come the Naughty Forties. So now I'm wondering if the 40s have anything to do with unhappy couples, separation, and divorce.

In the past year and a bit, there have suddenly been several couples in our group of friends who have had marital problems - seemingly serious marital problems - that have led some of them to split up. Now I know that these things are just part of life and happens all the time, but it struck me that everyone seemed to be quite happy up until now, the time where we're all approaching 40 or already there.

If the Forties have anything to do with it, what is it? At this time the kids are all well into elementary school and middle school, so our lives would seem to be well established. Is it the "rut" of established lives that leaves people bored with one another? Are they bored and yearn for the excitement of their 20s, thinking that it will change it all and bring back that "something" that seems to be missing?

If that is it, I think they may be in for a surprise. And if that lead them to divorce, I think they may come to look back at it as a major mistake.

I hope this is about a lot more then merely the Forties.