Divorce: Cuckoos and Cockolds

Did you see the interview with Elizabeth Edwards on the "Today" show? Ms. Edwards is the spouse of former Presidential candidate John Edwards. Of course, we have all heard about his public confession of adultery and about his love child with a former aid. It appears that one of the primary reasons why Ms. Edwards went on the "Today" show was to proclaim her desire to get past her spouse's infidelity and to get on with her life. In the t.v. interview, Ms. Edwards also indicated that she had found inner peace and wanted to shed herself of the "cuckolded" wife image.

I did a little research about the term "cuckold." That's an old term that even we, as divorce lawyers, don't hear every day! As you may know, a cuckold is a married person whose spouse has cheated on them, (either with or without the victim's knowledge). I also learned that the Middle English derivative of the word is "cokewold," which is derived from certain varieties of female cuckoo birds which lay their eggs in other female birds' nests, so that they don't have to raise their babies. But that's enough about "cuckoos" and "cuckolds!"

As for Ms. Edwards, in my opinion, whether you or I agree or disagree with her politics, we should all agree that she is entitled to get on with her life and to shed the cuckold image. Best wishes to her!