Have other people had experiences that actually make divorce worth it?

My divorce was BRUTAL- it lasted 2 1/2 years, and it was mainly located in the gutter. By far the hardest experience of my life. It took several years for me to feel interested in dating again, and dating

over 40 has been largely disappointing.

However, I have started seeing a man who is 14 years younger, and somehow having this much fun makes it feel worth it. I don’t care if it goes anywhere because we’ve been good friends for a couple of years, and I will have some good stories to tell in the retirement home. This is the only thing so far that makes it feel like going through my divorce was worth it. Is this a common experience?