What is the biggest metaphorical bridge you have (deliberately) burned in your life and do you ever regret it?

I walked away from a cushy job in a family business because it was killing my marriage. (Turns out my marriage died anyway but much later and not from that.) Four days later, I found a new job back in my old profession and was much happier.

My old, old girlfriend (who I went out with for years before I married the woman who I later divorced.

I should have stuck with #1 and married her, instead of marrying the woman I did. Hindsight is 20–20.

Um, I burned a bridge with my half-sisters 20 years ago with some truth bombs they didn’t like, but I do partially regret it since I never get to see my nieces and nephews. I tend to believe its their lack of emotional maturity and partly my bio dad’s fault for not telling them about my existence. I thought I was doing the right thing, but gues not.

A bridge was burned for me years ago at a place I worked for. Falsely accused because of circumstantial evidence, I rebuilt the bridge later by divulging to certain participants who the real culprit was.
Bridges get burned, sometimes by one person, sometimes by others.
Some bridges deserve to get burned.

So, @kritiper, not a bridge that you burned. I think you misunderstood the question.

If a team of arsonists has a falling out and they decide to go their separate ways, could that be described as burning their bridges?

Divorcing my first husband.

I’m alone and miserable.
He remarried twice and now he’s dead. His daughter’s ex shot him. Never would have happened if we stayed together.

Ending a 40 year friendship with my best friend because she wouldn’t accept my son. I have no regrets, but like you I feel the loss at times.

@Jonsblond I have a coworker in the exact same situation. She’s very hurt, too. I’m sorry.

^Thank you. Letting go is hard but it’s during these times we find our tribe. The people who do accept us as is. That’s what I hold on to.

There is a family member that I will not allow in my life (it’s been about 11 years now) and have no regrets about that decision.

@Jonsblond Her son is thriving and happy, that’s all that matters. You mom’s are amazing!
Her ex-friend tried to contact her son, got a little ‘tricky’ then. Not okay.

I’ve basically burned the bridge to most of my family. Once my mom died and I had no reason to retain a relationship with my asshole father, my family blamed me for causing a rift with him, as if he didn’t terrorize me for my entire childhood, and even as an adult sometimes. I called them out on it, and they didn’t like that. I regret it sometimes, and I miss a few people, but mostly I am okay with it. My wife’s family has always been great to me, so they are my primary family now.

@canidmajor It was thought that I had been the bridge burner. Sometimes others burn your bridges that those others had thought you burned yourself.
Having the event occur to me was regretful in that I could do nothing about it. Clearing the air gave me great satisfaction, something I felt could be mentioned here in spite of the exact details your question. Sorry it didn’t meet your precise criteria for an answer.

I have all my bridges still intact.
One damaged bridge I’ve reinforced/restored.

One of my closest friends insulted me and my new wife (he said the only reason I married her was she was pregnant, though she wasn’t). I didn’t talk to him again for many years.
The other one would be my retirement from an easy, great paying job.

Divorcing my first wife. I wanted nothing to do with her as soon as we were divorced. We did have kids, though, so we had to be cordial for a while. Well, I was cordial, she was always trying to stir trouble. But I never cared one whit what happened with her. I didn’t know if she was seeing anyone, didn’t know where she worked…nothing. As soon as the kids were older, she moved across the country and I have no idea if she is even alive or dead. And I am perfectly content with that.

@filmfann I had the same thing with my dad. When my (now ex) wife was pregnant with our first child, we decided to have him over for dinner. He had had mental challenges for many years, but was basically harmless. But the first words out of his mouth when he came over were “Hi! How are you doing? (to me) Wow! You’re fat! (to my wife)” And that was the start of a dinner that was rife with insults. At first I didn’t think he recognized how insulting he was being, but when confronted about it he tried to defend his statements. I told him he needed help. I told him if he wanted to seek help, I would be there with him the whole way. But if he decided he didn’t need help, I didn’t want him darkening my doorway again. I didn’t want to subject my family to him this way. We ended up not even speaking for about 6 years. We only started again because he almost died.

I could also say the Baptist and Catholic church, as well. Although Jesus is still cool, His followers leave a lot to be desired sometimes.

A friend left me because I didn’t want to be around his druggy friends. I was asked to make a choice and I did. Lost a good relationship with a very smart and charming friend and an excellent DM .

Good choice

Burning bridges sounds dramatic. The ending to our fifteen year friendship was rather anticlimactic.

She asked me for an apology. I didn’t have anything to apologize for. So I said “I think I should drive you home.” And that was that.

That was probably the longest close friendship I’ve had. I miss the good parts of it. And I miss this idea of what it could have been like.

But the reality is that she was a toxic person. And I was tired of enabling her drama.

After my father died, I tried coming to common ground with my mother (who’s the queen of burning bridges). Unfortunately, she has narcissistic personality disorder, lies pathologically, and had no interest in making any effort. After three months of talking, she told me “Look, this is who I am. I’m not changing, and if you don’t like it, you can go fuck your self. Take it or leave it.”

So I left it.

Bonus point: Her entire side of the family blamed me and stopped talking to me as well.

I don’t regret it. Life has been much more peaceful. That said, I do feel the loss and am just now dealing with some of the emotional fallout.

I do not regret it. I think that answers the important part of the question. We are often advised not to burn bridges. Well, I’m that rare person who says what she means and means what she says. I follow through and never look back.