drawing by dale cooperHi there!
I found your blog a couple of months ago and fell in love. Brooklyn, pie, ukuleles…what’s not to love? So, I’m feeling a little weird writing to you for advice as you’re a complete stranger. As I’m writing this, though, I’m thinking that maybe that’s what I need…an unbiased opinion.
Here’s the story:
My boyfriend and I broke up a couple months ago. We’d been together for 3.5 years. I love him. Always will. We didn’t have the best relationship towards the end.
Two weeks after we broke up, we tried getting back together. We both really believed in us. We decided to take things slowly so that we could both have a chance to grow more and not be so dependent on the other person. Another two weeks later, he invites me to his work holiday party. First, he blows off our plan of meeting up and going to the party together. Fine. I meet him there where he is already a few drinks in. He basically ignores me the whole night and flirts with the cute host (a friend of his from his school days) the entire evening. Like touching and obnoxiously laughing. With me sitting right beside him. So, I feel extremely awkward and tell him that maybe it would be best if I leave and we can talk about it the next day. He tells me to stay, and then I call him out on his behavior which he just laughs off and calls me ridiculous. I press the point. He pauses and tells me that he doesn’t think he can love me anymore. I leave.
I finally call him after a few days ignoring his many calls and texts. He apologizes for how he acted and tells me that we both need our space so we can both grow. (I know…that’s what I thought we were doing.) I’m rather angry and end up saying something I completely regret. “I feel like a fool for falling for you.” He didn’t take that so well. And, I know I said it out of anger and basically that I was upset with the re-ending of our relationship. I let myself fall for him all over again just to be let down. So, it’s over.
That was last month. I’m not as sad anymore, but I’m still confused. How do I move on?
I know you get tons of e-mails. And, it would be great if you responded. But, just knowing that you read this makes me feel a little better.
Best,
Akira
p.s. The picture was the beginning preparations for my key lime ginger pie. It’s real good.
Hey Akira,
Thanks for writing in.
Wow. It sounds like you and your boyfriend must have loved each other very much. You guys were both so fond of one another that you couldn’t accept the end of your relationship. That means you had a strong bond. Neither of you wanted to let go of it. Still…
He acted like a jerk. But maybe he had reason.
Maybe your ex wanted to try to salvage things, but then soon realized that the differences were too great – maybe he realized that he’d grown too far away to get the closeness back. It sounds like he really wanted to try to make it work with you two, but lost his resolve somewhere along the line. Certainly he could have communicated better, but his life is being shattered too, right? He’s going to behave strangely.
But none of this conjecture matters. You’re in real pain.
Your question is: How do i move on?
I don’t know. I’m not good at letting go either. I still talk to the ghost of my ex, who moved out more than two years ago.
But here’s a few things you could consider…
Be good to yourself. There’s so much beating ourselves up in life. But just this once, acknowledge that you’re a great person, and you deserve love.
Make out with everyone. At least for a month or two. Why not? Feel attractive.
(use condoms)
Throw yourself into your work. They say the best revenge is living well. Live well. Work your way up to something impressive.
Listen to yourself. Don’t try to go out and party if you’re feeling solitary. Let your body do what it wants to.
Cry. Let yourself cry about it. Acknowledging that there is sadness just underlines the point that relationships are worth embarking on.
Exercise. Go to the gym. Run. Swim. Get it out of your system. I know it feels mental, but some of it is in your body. Also, you’re on the market now, so get in shape.
Akira, seriously – do anything you need to do, but create a separate self, outside the identity of this man. You sound like a lovely, handsome young man who deserves happiness. Write your own story. And write yourself a happy ending. Give yourself time to grieve. But after a while, wake up and look at what’s true. You’re a handsome, young, talented man.
You have a world of options.
Jerk.
PIEFOLK 
That was lovely advice. I’m going through something similar right now too and I’m not at the point where I am really ready for those words but it’s nice to know where to look when I am. I’m in that weird stage where I’m pretty sure there’s no salvaging things anymore but I really want to believe there’s hope.
I thought I was strange for holding conversations in my head with this guy’s ghost but at least I’m not alone in the behavior.