LoveShack.org Community Forums

Reload this Page LoveShack.org Community Forums > Romantic > Dating

Taking a Break - good for the relationship? or really the end?


Dating Dating, courting, or going steady? Things not working out the way you had hoped? Stand up on your soap box and let us know what's going on!

Prev Previous Post   Next Post Next
Old 30th March 2004, 8:19 PM   #1
Slpnbuety
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Smile Taking a Break - good for the relationship? or really the end?

Looking for advice & feedback on my situation:

My boyfriend and I have been dating 10 months. When we met, he had just ended a 15-year marriage and his ex-wife moved with their 8-year old daughter across the country. I expressed concerns at that time that he hadn't taken "healing time", but he said he had been unhappily married for 7 years and that was his "healing time."

We have had an awesome relationship - definitely the best I've ever had and he says the best he ever had. We are both 38 - and both of us have been married before. We have never had a fight, not even an argument. We did everything together and had fun whether we were at a black tie party for one of our offices, a hockey game, or just sitting around the house. We have many, many, many things in common and we are (or were) the best of friends.

A couple of weeks ago, he told me he was "in a fog" - he said it wasn't about our relationship, but life in general. He also started seeing a therapist. He told me several times it wasn't me or our relationship, but he was unhappy and confused about where his life was going - did he want to stay in the same job, did he want to move to be closer to his daughter, did he ever want to get married again, have more children, coach little league, etc., etc. He said he wanted time and space because being with me clouded his judgement. I told him to take a month.

Is this because he didn't take some "down time" following the divorce to sort through things in life. I know it took me at least a year to get over my divorce, and I didn't have children involved, so I can only imagine how hard it is with the daughter. The good thing about his daughter is he has the type of job where he can work remotely and their original agreement was that he would travel to where she is and see her for one week per month and she would come see him for one month during the summer. When they talk on the phone recently, she flips out saying she wants her old house back, her backyard, her dogs, etc. I know this hurts him. It was exactly a year ago that they moved. I also know in my heart the ex only moved to hurt him - and moving their daughter 2500 miles away was how she did it.

Is this all coming to a head now because it's been a year? I haven't pushed for a deeper commitment, marriage or anything like that. He agrees that I have not pressured him.

I told him we should take a 30-day break and he should stop calling me and IM'ing me because it was confusing to me. We used to spend our weekends together - we've only seen each other twice this month, yet he was continuing to call me every day and would always say how confused and unhappy he was and didn't know why. I asked if he wanted my help to get through this and he said it is something he needs to do alone. That's when I suggested the break.

I know he loves me and I love him and we have a trusting relationship. I miss him very, very much. I would welcome any opinions, suggestions and advice on how I should handle the next few weeks. Also, his birthday is in two weeks and I don't know if I should send a card, give him a call or ignore it.
  Reply With Quote
 

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

 
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Taking a break...what does it mean?? Smoothchik Breaks and Breaking Up 2 22nd January 2006 6:05 AM
Taking a break - how much good can arise from it? totallyconfused Breaks and Breaking Up 8 5th July 2005 2:24 PM
taking a break - what does it really mean? jordan Breaks and Breaking Up 12 29th July 2003 3:40 PM
Taking a Break??? ksimion Breaks and Breaking Up 3 6th June 2003 5:42 PM
taking a break FordLover Archive 5 18th September 2000 3:18 PM

 

All times are GMT -4. The time now is 11:53 AM.

Please note: The suggestions and advice offered on this web site are opinions only and are not to be used in the place of professional psychological counseling or medical advice. If you or someone close to you is currently in crisis or in an emergency situation, contact your local law enforcement agency or emergency number.


Copyright © 1997-2009 LoveShack.org. All Rights Reserved.