I remember the moment I fell in love with him.
We had spent the whole day out on that boat -
snorkeling, swimming, drifting in the waves off the coast of Brazil.
We were on our way back now.
Water-logged and drunk from the sun, I leaned back against his chest as we made our way back to land.
As I watched the setting sun scatter diamonds across the surface of the ocean, with the fresh breeze against my face, blowing my hair about, I felt his lips absentmindedly brush against my bare shoulder as he too looked out.
In that moment, without saying a word, I knew he was feeling the same peaceful bliss that I was...
And I knew I was in love with him.
Leaving him behind at the airport gate when I flew back home was one of the hardest moments my heart had to endure.
But leaving him at the airport after his visit here with us, was even harder.
The pain excruciating, and I somehow knew it would be our last goodbye.
We somehow made our relationship work for two years, with only three visits.
But in the end it was all just too much -
the distance, the lies, the neuroses.
With the end of our relationship,
I felt both earth-shattering heartbreak,
along with incredible freedom.
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©️VMLM13 Whiskey + Empathy 2019