I have not seen very many movies, yet in my box-o-memories are ticket stubs to movies like "The Dark Knight", "Juno', "Burn After Reading", and "Knocked Up" which were just some of the ones that I saw with Lowell during the course of our relationship. Along with those stubs sit prom pictures, dried roses, restaurant reciepts, lift tickets-- bits and pieces of scrap that documented four significant years of my life. I'm not really one for scrapbooking either so these things are mixed with other little knick-knacks like notes from highschool and candy wrappers. My phone rings Friday morning while I'm getting my hot chocolate from Starbucks. "I think I should remove you from my Facebook. We're both in relationships now and I think it's best for closure." How is this even relevant? Facebook? Really? (Only in this generation...) I wasn't aware that purging every memory of me was required for closure but that seems to be the case. But it has indeed been confirmed. We're never going to talk to each other again. I felt relief at first. Now I can pretend that he never existed. But is that really what I want? As someone who treasures every memory because I believe that is what makes me who I am, I cannot understand why it can be so easy for some people to erase everything that used to be important from their life. After having that short and frustrating conversation with Lowell, I found myself feeling hurt and vulnerable all over again. And then the most wonderful feeling came to me. I was glad that my hell was over. I defended Lowell to everyone that told me I could date a better guy. But why? I was not happy and he didn't care to see me happy. Now I tell people that breaking up with me was the most selfless thing he had ever done for me. Realizing that Lowell was all wrong for me has made me feel much stronger, happier, and grateful. Stronger because I know that I can move forward without depending on a guy, happier because the time I spent single was a happier time for me than anything that I've ever felt. I experienced life more after our break-up than during the relationship. And I am especially grateful because I got the chance to meet the guy that I'm dating now and he happens to be pretty cool. |