D-I-V-O-R-C-E = Clarity?

As my five or so loyal blog followers may know, I've been separated from my husband since October. I haven't posted much on Facebook or been particularly vocal via social media about it, because I do think that some things should stay fairly private. I still think that, but because writing is extremely cathartic for me, I've chosen to write about it here.
We were trying to "work on" our relationship, but because of timing, finances, personalities, and a host of issues that I may not even completely understand, we have mutually decided to get divorced. I'm not the first person to get divorced, I realize I'm not re-inventing the wheel here, but obviously to me, this is innately personal and, I'll be honest, kind of devastating. I even hate the word, "divorce." It's always sounded to me like the word "slice," which makes sense, because at times, it feels like you're being sliced in half, or part of you is being dissected.
My brother is divorced, but as far as role-model marriages go, my parents were married almost 40 years when my dad died (whether they should have been or not is another story), and my grandparents were married almost 60 years when my grandfather died. I have plenty of friends that come from divorced households, and for that matter, I have plenty of divorced friends. However, I had this misguided notion, "That won't be me."
Here's the stuff no one wants to tell you when you get married: There's literally no way to safeguard your marriage from divorce. You can have all the love in the world, you can be as happy as you ever thought you were capable; it doesn't matter. There are two personalities in a marriage, and as much as you may want to try, you can't control your partner's actions or thoughts. Of course I'm not saying all marriages are doomed to divorce, not by any means. I'm just saying, marriage is probably the biggest leap of faith anyone takes in their whole life. When you think about it, really, it's almost ridiculous. You're saying, "Yes, I'm a big, hot mess. I'd like to introduce another potentially big, hot mess into my life 24/7, legally binding, with no way out other than death and a thing that sounds like being sliced." It's craziness.
Do I wish this wasn't happening? Of course, but I also know that when two people aren't happy and the pieces aren't in place to make them happy, you can't force it. Fate and circumstance and life are funny things. I could choose, as my dark brain parts have drifted, to look at this as a failure or a horrible chapter in my life, or I could, and will choose, to take it and learn from it and use it as a positive experience to propel my life from here forward.
I get to figure myself out and do what makes me, just me, happy, and not worry about another person's feelings or expectations. I have a job that I love, friends that are extremely supportive, and a family that is there for me. I have no business feeling sorry for myself, and I'm not going to (except when I'm sad or have PMS). Anything can happen, and I hope it does. That's what makes up this insane thing we call life.