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Man Still Sends Ex-Wife Anniversary Cards Years After Split

TikTok/ @jodylynntavares and JODYLYNN TAVARES (via People.com)
Uplifting News

Man Continues Sending Ex-Wife Anniversary Cards - 22 Years Following Divorce

This tradition proves love doesn’t always end when a marriage does.

When a couple divorces, it’s because they can no longer be together romantically. But that doesn’t mean that love can’t still exist between two former partners, which this man has proved for the past 22 years.


People don’t enter marriage believing that their union will end in divorce. Separations do happen, however, and people can change or grow apart. Sometimes, the union wasn’t a great match to begin with. No matter the reason, it can be important to remember that love created the marriage in the first place. And that love can still exist and evolve — especially when children are involved.

An Amicable Goodbye

Man still sends woman anniversary cards 22 years following divorcebroken heart hanging on wirePhoto by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash


Melvin Tavares and Mary Widman divorced in 2002, yet according to their daughter, Jodylynn Tavares, her father sends her mother an anniversary card or a text message every single year.

“There was only one year that he forgot, and my mom was kind of disappointed about it,” Jodylynn told People.

The 24-year-old was three when her parents divorced, but she has fond memories of how they co-parented her and her sister. That includes her dad sending her mom sentimental messages and cards, which could be considered a marker of the past and what their marriage represented.

“My dad always picks cartoon and funny cards. He isn’t a mushy card buyer. My dad usually writes, ‘Happy Anniversary Wifie, love Mel,’” Jodylynn continued.

“I think it shows that he still loves my mom, but not romantically. They both are living different lives; he does it out of respect. He still refers to her as his ‘wifie.’ My dad doesn’t mean any harm or have bad intentions; he is just a sentimental, mushy kind of guy.”

A Positive Upbringing

@jodylynntavares

not the $1 bill

This year, Jodylynn marked the anniversary by sharing her parents’ story on TikTok. The video she shared, which included her mom receiving a card and a $1 bill, went viral. That’s likely because the heartwarming story is a positive example of co-parenting and being there for your kids, even when you can no longer be together.

To People, Jodylynn added that she and her sister lived with their mom in Hawaii for most of their childhood but spent summers with their dad.

“My mom was good and never talked bad about my dad,” she continued. “She always said that just because she couldn’t be married to him didn’t mean that he wasn’t still our dad. My parents were always on their best behavior when together for graduations, my sister’s wedding, and now they have grandkids together.”

Jodylynn also revealed that her mom has probably thrown away most of the cards she’s received, but she still has the one from the viral video.

“Married at one time but will always be connected to each other. My parents still love each other, but not romantically,” Jodylynn added.

Embracing the Love

When you’re hurt or disappointed to no longer have the life you once envisioned for yourself, it can be hard to forgive and move on with love in your heart. That’s especially true if someone who was supposed to be your life partner hurt you or acted unforgivably. However, there are circumstances where a positive post-divorce relationship can exist, and this story is one of them.

If you’re able to, working through the pain and remembering the love that brought you together in the first place — for the sake of kids or even for yourself — is essential to healing and growing. Making room for forgiveness and love can be powerful, and it can create surprising long-term bonds.

At the very least, it can help you get back to you after a period of loss and grieving. As with anything in life, letting go of what you thought was supposed to happen and making the best of the reality of a situation will open the door to happiness and success.

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