Day Five

I didn't mention, but my awesome roommate dropped out. It sucks for me, but more for her because she dropped out because she moved home because of parental health problems. It' s just one more little added stress. Plus I was actually looking forward to moving in with her...

I'm exhausted. I'm not really sleeping well, I'm not really eating well. I want to eat well; I'm really hungry, but eating is too much effort and every time I eat, I feel sick. I miss him SO freaking much, it's ridiculous. And we emailed yesterday, which I can't decide how I feel about it. It was like 98% logistics, but it was still that connection which I so desperately want. But the fact that I want it so desperately is a sign that I probably shouldn't have it. Especially since even that short email reignited all my ridiculous fantasies about getting back together. Which I know isn't wise, because he had things to work out and clearly wasn't really able to work them out with me in the picture. And writing seems to be too much effort, too, even though it really helps. I think I might be getting towards the depressed stage. wee...

I have decided that there seems to be a common symptom. Everyone I know who has been with the same person since college seems to have this twinge of regret. Not that they are with the person they are with, since I always said with SB that I didn't need to be with other people to know that what we had was great. It's more a recognition that while dating sucks, parts of it do have their appeal, like the firsts and whatnot. If you marry your first serious SO, you miss out on getting those other firsts more times. Not that that in any way counteracts all the other good parts of being in those solid relationships, and not that it's really a true regret. More of a wistful acknowledgement.

Day 3

I have no patience. I want to be further along with my whole getting over this process. See, I really don't like being upset. I really don't like crying. I really don't like all of this.

But I looked up the stages of grief, and I think I'm thoroughly in denial. Which is the first freaking stage. (Okay, I know it's only been a couple of days, and to be further would be ridiculous, but I really just want this all done with.) I knew I was in denial, partly because I keep thinking I'll see him tonight when he gets off work and partly because I keep concocting all these fantasies where he comes running back to me with roses and candy and apologies, talking about how crazy he was and how much he loves me and how he can't live without me. I know that's not how it'll happen, but I've always been like this. When I was little and got in a fight with my parents, I would storm off to my room and imagine that they were going out and buying lots of toys for me to make me feel better. Every time I came out of my room after one of these incidents, I was disappointed. And a couple of years ago maybe he would have done something grand and romantic. But I don't think he will now.

It's hard for me to hold on to the fact that things haven't been good for a while. They haven't been bad exactly, just kind of mediocre. And the thought of ending things had passed through my mind occasionally the past few months. But now, I just keep thinking back on all of the good times. And we did have lots of good times. Lots and lots and lots.

It was nice to talk to Haley yesterday. Her family is my role model for two reasons. 1. She is going through something very similar, although she's a month in and was the one who initiated. 2. Her sisters both went through painful break-ups (they both called off weddings), and are now both happily married. Her advice is to renember as much as possible the bad times, use them to not call. (The temptation is SO strong.)

Things I've learned so far

A. My knitting group really is awesome. They had an impromptu meeting for me last night, bought me a muffin and tea and hot chocolate, and distracted me for the night. It was pretty much just what I needed.

B. My mom doesn't really know how to deal with this stuff. It doesn't surprise me; my family tends not to really talk about things like heartbreak or relationships or stuff like that. Plus, she and my dad started dating in high school, so she hasn't had a huge amount of personal experience in this. And I haven't cried in front of any family for as long as I can remember, outside of movie-related tearing up. My dad, though, surprisingly seems better. He wrote me a really sweet email about how I will be okay, and how when I was little and fell off my bike, I would always bounce right up and make a snarky comment. (He didn't use the word snarky, but it was implied.) I'm going home next weekend, so we'll see how things go.

C. People understand and want to help, but a lot don't know how to handle it. (Of course, I don't even know how to handle it, so...) I am very anti-talking about it right now, mainly because it makes me cry and I don't like talking and crying. Thus I am blogging instead (CW will finally get her posts on a regular basis). Plus writing helps, and it has been shown that writing out bad memories or events gets them out of your head. But the support has been really nice. It makes me cry, but it's been nice.

D. Sleeping pills are kind of awesome and kind of not. Awesome because I hate night. I sit there and think and try to sleep and think some more. A sleeping pill (my first was last night) helps shut down the thinking, even if it didn't send me right to sleep. Kind of not because I was a bit out of it for the first couple of hours of the day. I'm not really ready to blame this on the pill; afterall, I haven't really been eating enough (I'm trying, I'm starving, but when I eat, I feel like I'm going to throw up. I think I may have to try to drink all my meals for a while, and no, not alcoholic meals. But Slim Fasts and milkshakes.), and there are good reasons for me to feel braindead.

E. I am probably depending entirely too much on How I Met Your Mother. But I'm at the part now where Lily and Marshall break up. And I feel very much like Marshall. So watching him mourn and cry and be all miserable and then get through it makes me feel like there is hope. And watching Barney teach him how to date... was entertaining and again hopeful. And I know he and Lily wind up back together, and a part of me totally hopes that happens. Not now (well, I'd love it now, but I don't know that that would be wise), but eventually. Because it's not like we broke up because we weren't compatible or didn't love each other. We both had issues and those issues strangled things a bit. I feel like I've worked through a lot of mine, but SB has some things he needs to figure out. And he can probably do that better on his own. That's going to take time, and I'm still going to have to go through this. I recognize that, but... maybe? Later? I know that that might be a bad hope to hold on to. And I'm going to try not to. Because if things don't work out like that and he winds up with someone else, then I'm going to be pretty upset when that happens. Especially if I'm not with someone else then. Whereas if it does happen and I'm not expecting it, there is no added pain. It's just so hard to completely readjust your hopes and plans and thoughts and future... He was kind of a stabalizing factor in all that, and now? Now everything's all open. Which could eventually be exciting, or maybe not, or whatever, but right now? Right now, it's terrifying.

One

This is awful. Honest to God, probably the worst experience of my whole life. Being left that first day at college is the only thing that I can think of that comes close. I don't know what to do. I try and distract myself with tv, I tried to go out in the real world, hoping that would help. But everything reminds me of him. Even stupid McDonalds, because he really likes McDonalds and would sometimes bring me their cinnamon rolls and sweet tea in the morning. Everything has him in it. Even Cassie reminds me (who right now is chewing on something. I don't know what. She's not near any food and seems to be becoming like a cow who chews its cud). And I want to do nothing more than call him up and beg him to come back and let everything be back the way it was.

But I can't. Because his reasoning last night rings truer than most of what he's said to me for the past few months. That he loves me and thinks I'm wonderful and amazing and that maybe for a while he was still mad at me for treating him like crap when i was in crap job, but now he's not. And he still doesn't see a future for us. The thing that sucks is that I do. I mean, things haven't been great for a while. We started to get them back, and then his work hours picked up and it felt like we were in a holding pattern. and it hurt. I remembered how loving he used to be and could tell that he wasn't acting the same. That, as hard as he was trying, he was pulling away. Not being as considerate as he had been. But I still think we could get over that.

But not if he's not in it. I can't keep putting myself through dating someone who is constantly doubting our relationship. I deserve more, and I know that. He said that he saw how his behavior was hurting me and hurting him. And it was. Not as much as this is, though. He claims we can stay friends, that he still wants to support me. And he's my best friend and my other best friend is in Indiana, and I want to still have his support. But I just don't see how that will work. "Oh, well, we just won't tell each other details of our new relationships, when we get in them." He was mine for nearly six years. How can I sit and watch him fall in love with someone else? How can he watch me?

And I am so TERRIFIED. I wasn't good at the high school dating scene, the college dating scene. I haven't been single for years. I like being a part of a couple. I want to settle down, get married, have kids (eventually). I don't want to date and meet skeazy guys who try to get too far too fast. I don't know how to meet guys, much less nice guys. And I sure as hell hate being alone like this. (Whit, not a call for you to come out. I'd still feel alone.)

I just hope I can make it through this. People keep telling me I will. I'm trying to pray and have faith and all that jazz, but right now? Right now, I'd be happiest if he'd just come back.

All By Myself...

It's over. I don't know what else to say. SB and I broke up tonight... Nearly six years and now. Nothing. I feel like I've been hit over the head.