18 things that I learned from my last relationship.

My therapist gives me homework....Funny I know.....I guess it's part of recovering from loss and the torment that I've been through. My assignment this week is to write 18 things that I took with me after the 18 month relationship that recently failed. Not material things, learned things, thoughts, valued resources to use later. At first I was totally dumbfounded about what I could possibly have taken away with me besides regret, pain, sorrow, heartbreak and a slew of unanswered questions. Being involved with a chameleon who hides their true colors will skew your memories of the past....what was real?, what was a lie? and so on that it makes it difficult to list 18 things that I took away from 18 months of bliss that came crashing down around me like the twin towers of depression and grief.

But a good friend gave me some examples and I started thinking of things...some good some negative, but things none the less. I never expected something like this to be so difficult. Why is that?

Here is an attempt at some things I learned in 18 months.

*I now know what I've always known : to trust only myself and can rely only on myself.

*I now know how to make a kick ass Chicken Penang.

*I now know that people who repress feelings not only hurt themselves, but the other people in their life.

*I'm going to miss my camping partner.

*Fishing isn't the same without my fishing partner

*It's hard finding something else to take pictures of.

*Sitting out on the porch on Sunday morning reading the paper alone with my coffee sucks.

*Kids have a unique insight about some things.

*Despite her flaws and the fact that I'm really angry right now, I still love her more than anything that I can think of.

*I'm glad that I have an opportunity to work on myself.

*I know who the people who really care about me are.

*Physical scars heal A LOT faster than emotional scars.

*I don't really need anything that won't fit into my backpack.

*My dog Lacy can be happy living anywhere if her Daddy is around.

*It's ok to throw things away or donate things that you don't need anymore.

*Some people would rather go through the pain and misery of ending a relationship with someone they love than work on their own issues.

* Simplicity is beautiful.

*Even though I'm not a writer, I found out how much I love to write. Sometimes the words just fly out of me.

So there....18 things for 18 months. I hope everything isn't negative....I'm not perfect and niether is she, but she was perfect for me. It's easy to pick on someones flaws, but I accepted her for who she is and only had a bone about 1 thing really....and I included that in my hub about parenting.