What signals the end of an affair? Is it the waning excitement for the lover? Is it the feeling of guilt that has finally been recognized? Or is it the engulfing need to confess infidelity to the spouse? When a cheating spouse starts contemplating about the effects of his/her unfaithfulness, this is usually the time when ending an affair is being considered.
A cheating spouse who is lost in his/her own world with the lover is unable to feel for others. It is only about himself/herself. Not even the pain felt by the legal spouse or the children matters at this time when everything is centered on self-gratification. The justification of having the right to be happy is heard like a refrain from songs.
No one knows exactly when it will happen but the time when "sanity" is restored will come. All of a sudden, a cheater feels tired of the instability of extramarital relationships and pine for the comfort of marriage. The unpredictability of the lover which used to create much excitement has become very exhausting and the need to feel the constancy of a dependable spouse is very real. The alienation from family and friends resulting from infidelity can be too much to bear especially when one feels like a stranger among the lover's own circle of family and friends.
The fun is over, what now? Most cheaters will find themselves crawling back to their spouse and family. Fortunate are the ones who are forgiven and accepted right away. For the less fortunate ones, lessons will be learned the hard way when they are forced to work to gain back their family's trust and affection.
