Drew Barrymore is doubling down on the sentiment she and her ex-husband, Will Kopelman, expressed when they announced their split back in 2016.
At the time, the former couple stressed the continuing importance of their family bond with each other and their daughters, saying "Divorce might make one feel like a failure, but eventually you start to find grace in the idea that life goes on."
As part of her Instagram series, #TheWayItLooksToUs, the actress opened up on Friday, Dec. 21, about her biggest romantic relationship, reflecting on the positive aspects of what her marriage brought into her life.
"Once upon a time… I remember reading an article that said I had gotten my happy ending after all. Looking at this picture, it sure looks that way. And then, like many times in life for all of us, our plans change and our dreams are adjusted" the 43-year-old star captioned a photo of her and Will at the Golden Globes taken while they were still together.
"But that doesn't mean that every second wasn't worth it. And if that DeLorean time machine pulled up every day, I would do it all over again. After all, I did get my dream. 2 healthy girls," she continued, referencing the kids — Olive, 6, and Frankie, 4 — she shares with her ex.
"Will and I continue to marvel at what we made and try to be the best co parents we can be. It's not always easy and the point is…nothing in life is. But it doesn't mean that any bitter outweighs the sweet!"
The post comes after Drew announced she was inviting followers to join in a conversation with her about the difference between what motherhood, beauty and relationships really look like to women and what we think those things should look like.
In just a few days, the star's hashtag has already drawn thousands of comments on hundreds of photos submitted by women who feel the same way as Drew.
As ET reminds us, Drew's been open about struggling through her divorce in the past. "When you break up with somebody, you're like, 'Yeah, that didn't work,' [but] when you get divorced you're like, 'I'm the biggest failure. This is the biggest failure,'" she told Chelsea Handler not long after announcing her split from Will. "It's so shameful and hard to actually go through that, even privately," she added.
After sharing her divorce post on Friday, Drew tossed one more thought out there, posting about the happy messiness life can bring while sharing a photo of one of her daughters making snow angels out of powdered sugar — inside.
"When I cleaned up my daughter's mess, the powdered sugar in the air fell into my mouth and I realized how sweet my reality really is. Sometimes what seems like the biggest mess can be your greatest memory," she wrote.
She signed off with this wish for her followers: "May we all be protective and grateful for the love we have. And who cares how it looks! If you are kind, well, that's the prettiest look I've ever seen."