I’m learning, pain by pain and tension by tension, that after all my strategies fail, the strength of love waits in receiving and not negotiating; in accepting each other and not problem-solving each other; in listening and affirming each other, not trying to change or fix those we love.
Mark Nepo
The Book of Awakening
July 6
Between the two of them – and some others – I have come to see more clearly what I need to offer C and be less concerned about what I think or feel I need from her. By doing this I’m taking a risk, facing uncertainty, and being emotionally open.
It is probable that C will simply strike out and cut me again. She responds to every outreach with anger and resentment. My willingness to be vulnerable to her changes nothing. I don’t deserve her forgiveness, compassion, consideration, or a conversation. I deserve nothing…but that isn’t the point.
Just as I cannot make her speak to me, she cannot make me stop loving her and trying. She may be gone but my heart still rests in her hands. No amount of mental gymnastics or psychology is going to change how I feel. I’ll take it back in fits and starts but my heart always wanders back to her.
My heart is a jerk. There is no switch for grieving and moving on. My relationship mattered to me. It will happen in time. My behavior devastates both of us. All I can do is rebuild my life brick by brick with or without her.
I live in a silo and am blind to so much about life more vulnerability, not less is helping me live it more fully.
I see more clearly that as I’ve tried to focus more on vulnerability, and less on reconcilliation and forgiveness, I’m discovering a side of me so well hidden I didn’t even know it existed. I’ve always been an explorer and wanderer. I dreamed I’d be spending the rest of my life exploring and wandering with C. That isn’t what happened for reasons any reader of my story already knows.
Maybe what is really happening is I am going to explore and wander through the lessons of my life with C and not with C. We will have to wait and see how the story ends. Meanwhile, I will live forward with intention.
Below is an excellent journal on the power of vulnerability and the meaning of forgiveness. Read Walking the Journey ‘s story by clicking the links below.
You can also read the Twitter discussion with Mighty on Twitter by clicking here. There is a lot happening in the conversation so you have to scroll through it all.
He Wants Forgiveness
He wants forgiveness for the affair. But what does that mean?
via He wants forgiveness — Walking the Journey
C is definitely on her own journey. It’s good, so good, that you can see not to ask her for anything.
Your self discovery will be an adventure in itself.
Thank you for the mention, and as always, for just being out there.
Now I gotta go catch up on your convo with mighty! 😊
You know, I want to keep trying, and let her know that I still care and that I’m still here and that I can’t be run off. I want her to see that I’m willing to face the fire.
However, I also don’t want to retraumatize her. I really have no idea what I’m supposed to do. I’m just trying to build my life Brick by Brick without her while also trying to be patient, compassionate, and loving.
I don’t know if I’m winning or failing… I love that woman every single day.
But I failed her when it mattered.
I wrote a bunch of things on things on this topic. It will post Monday and Tuesday probably.