That? Does divorce have a beautiful side? While I was thinking about the title and thinking about what could best describe what I'm going to talk about, the title jumped out and grabbed me. Those kinds of ideas that don't let go and you don't let go. And although I surprise myself and I can't believe that I wrote divorce with the adjective beautiful, I think it is the title adhoc to what I am going to tell you.

When this photo appeared on my Facebook wall as a memory from 9 years ago, I looked at it for a long time and thought not all the consequences of divorce have been bad. Seeing my mother, my two sisters and my son, who is now 11 years old, together walking along the sea in Atlanta gave me nostalgia and joy. At that moment I thought this is the beautiful side of divorce. One of my sisters is not my mother's daughter.

My parents had a very chaotic divorce more than 20 years ago, I was 13. We really didn't know anyone who had gone through one. There was no format to follow, someone to recharge with and ask for advice. It felt like we were the only family going through such a drastic breakup. Where I come from and twenty-something years ago divorce was taboo and that and drugs were the worst of the worst. I know that it was also super difficult for my parents to encounter a society so punitive and quick to judge.

I could list a thousand things why divorce is not a good idea and the negative consequences it brings. I could give you more reasons why joining families where there are children can be even more challenging and integrating new members is a very complicated process. After the divorce, my dad remarried and two stepbrothers and 1 year later my younger sister came into my life. As an expert on the subject (hence my passion for these issues and my profession as a family and couples therapist) I know the dark side of divorce and non-traditional families. As the daughter of divorced parents and a member of a non-traditional family, I know firsthand the turbulence of navigating those waters.

As an expert on the subject (hence my passion for these issues and my profession as a family and couples therapist) I know the dark side of divorce and non-traditional families. As the daughter of divorced parents and a member of a non-traditional family, I know firsthand the turbulence of navigating those waters.

My parents' divorce was so bad that they didn't talk to each other, much less see each other, they avoided each other at all costs and put us in very uncomfortable situations. However, they had this understanding that my younger sister was going to be in our lives and if that meant spending time with my mother that's how it was going to be. It was an unspoken pact... One of those that parents make for our children. I don't want to use the word sacrifice because I know that for my mother, having a relationship with my sister (who is not her daughter) is not a sacrifice. But I can see how he put any feelings of anger with my dad aside to do what he had to do. In the same way, my father and my stepmother have given my mother the confidence to always live with her daughter. Despite all their differences they have made it work.

My parents knew that having my sister close was very important to create a close, supportive and loving relationship between siblings.

My younger sister has always been part of my life and that has largely been because my parents, despite all their differences (and believe me, there are many) have always integrated her and made her participate in everything. My mother has always welcomed my sister into her house. She comes and goes and it has always been like that. My sister travels with my mother and us without any distinction. When my sister was little and they asked her at her mother's school, she said that she had two, one of them was my mother.

My relationship with the topic of divorce is complicated. I still don't recommend it (in most cases) but today I see this photo smiling seeing how far we have come with this non-traditional family, This family where there is room for a grandmother, her daughter, her grandson, and her ex-husband's daughter and me on the other side capturing the most beautiful side of divorce.