Al and Tipper Gore’s news of separation last June came as a shock to most American. No wonder, since it was about 40 years of married life for this high profile couple prior to the news and nobody’s expecting it to end like that. Well apparently, nobody except for hundreds of married seniors worldwide who must have understood what happened and what went wrong.

It is important to note that when seniors who have been married for 40 years or so suddenly decided to call it quits with their partners, it is not about infidelity—they rarely do. According to senior divorcees, it is usually the missed opportunity that pushed them to separation. Some seniors swear that the moment they heard their partners suggesting separation, they were taken aback—lost, might be the most fitting word, since they had no idea at all that their marriage was on the rocks.

So how would you know if your marriage is indeed battling the 40-year itch? Are there telltale signs you must be aware of?

•    Asking for space. There are actually two sides of the coin when it comes to asking for space. One is, sometimes you just need to have some time for yourself and pursue things without your partner. The other is, when you get irritated or annoyed when you’re around your partner and you never seem to enjoy even a second of it.
•    Dreaming about a different life. At some point in our lives, we dreamt of change especially during those times when we were growing tired of doing the same things over and over again but dreaming a life with another partner is a sure sign you are ready to separate.
•    Spotting—and magnifying—differences. Over the years, you must have grown familiar with each other’s differences and faults but finding and fussing incessantly at this point in time means there is something terribly wrong with the relationship.
•    Lying. Do take note that there are types of lies but lying when there’s no valid reason for you to do so means you no longer want to share your life with your partner.
•    You stop sharing your partner’s life. This includes his or her family, hobbies, interests and friends—and just because you don’t want to do so.
•    Your plans no longer include your partner. And if it is necessary for them to be included, you found yourself annoyed with the idea and sometimes would entertain thoughts of dropping the idea altogether.