[naturallydelici]

I don't actually have Facebook either... deactivated, maybe in a burst of destructive anger, or something. And I'm doing perfectly fine.

But for those who do want to keep it, make sure you keep in mind that defriending is not enough!

[DrJ]

Hmmm... altering one's life in order to avoid that which (s)he cannot get over... interesting.

I think it is equally important to face those things in life and deal with them head-on. I'm not saying that you have to confront that person in any way... but we are all here together on this tiny little planet. You can't just bottle it all up and hope that you never cross paths so that bottle doesn't ever explode in your face.

What if you just eventually got to a point that you could accept that each other still exists and actually be okay with it?

What if you found resolve instead and you were okay with remembering the memories... good, bad, or indifferent? Memories are kind of all we really have, right? I mean, after all, without them, would any of us even know who we were?

Just a thought...

[naturallydelici]

Dr - I think that sounds like... a preferable way to do things. It's just hard, I guess. It often seems like a choice between avoiding these things or going insane.

I would very much like to be okay with these memories, or the fact that the other still exists... ^^. I guess I've just always been a bottler (not necessarily for the best). The "hope that you never cross paths" bit sounded eerily familiar.

I guess I wouldn't know how to go about it. After spending a few months thinking about nothing but all that's happened, 'tis a little easier now to almost just pretend nothing ever happened.

I know it's not a good way to go about these things...

[jmw0713]

It is good to face things head on, once you are at a point the things you face don't affect you as much as they do initially. Why purposely do something if it causes you pain?

[DrJ]

Well, I certainly can't say that I have it down as well as I would like to... and it wasn't something that I was always aware of.

For me, it took a complete re-thinking of every idea I had about relationships (or anything else, for that matter). As kids, we are instilled with these notions about relationships from our parents, T.V. movies, books, whatever... then, when we begin to experience them ourselves, we find they aren't quite what we were expecting.

Anyway, I guess the point is that we all have a lot to learn about a lot of things...

And how else will know, understand, or even recognize happiness when it does finally come along, if you don't first learn a little about heartache and suffering along the way? ;)

[DrJ]

Why purposely do something if it causes you pain?

Hmmm... well, with the exception of some things, for the purpose & benefit of learning, growing, and becoming a better person, I guess.

I see pain as inevitable. But I also don't see pain as a negative thing. I guess it's just how we choose to interpret what we experience.

[Chey5782]

DrJ is just a guru. ;) I have ex's blocked and some that aren't. But I made the decision to give myself time in a couple of cases. One in particular simply because he was a right bastard and I didn't want HIM stealing my pictures from online. You can always unblock later, the cyberspace world is lovely isn't it.

I still don't see blockage as a bad thing if you don't want that person to be a part of your life. The world can be big enough to not HAVE to allow them to be. Bah.

[kctiger]

Hmmm... well, with the exception of some things, for the purpose & benefit of learning, growing, and becoming a better person, I guess.

I see pain as inevitable. But I also don't see pain as a negative thing. I guess it's just how we choose to interpret what we experience.

You bring an interesting point and I can see where you are coming from. There is a certain book that will go nameless that brings upon the point that devastating and painful experiences should be embraced as something to find meaning in... in other words, we define the moment and not the other way around.

I for one believe you can grow and become a better person by helping others more often than by purposely causing yourself pain. The operation of our morality and character would lead us to believe it is extremely un-natural to want to experience pain. That is just our make up... the old philosophy, avoiding pain while seeking pleasure.

We all go through this "meaning of life" and "passion" stuff and try to determine what things give us perspective. Walking head first into a situation that you know will hurt just doesn't seem productive...

I guess it becomes a value question: do you find more value in putting yourself through a painful situation in hopes of it becoming a learning lesson? I would think it depends upon the situation you are talking about, and I fear putting the "ex and seeing her with another guy on facebook" event as perhaps not worth it.

[jmw0713]

Purposely causing yourself pain by going to Facebook and putting yourself in a situation where you could easily see your ex with someone else IMO is NOT worth it.

You know how you feel about them. You already know the pain from the initial break-up and should be learning from that. Going on Facebook and opening that wound back up is counterproductive.

It's like touching a red hot iron. You know its hot because you can see it glowing and can feel the heat. You know it will burn you if you touch it. Do you touch it to find out if it will burn you, or do you use your reasoning and logic and stay away?

[naturallydelici]

Has anybody ever felt before that maybe if they were just a little stronger... a little better... a little more self-confident, then they could keep on truckin' and be there and not drop off the face of the earth?

(I guess I have... ).

Sort of like seeing a red-hot iron, but also having huge green Hulk hands, so you could pick it up and it wouldn't hurt at all.

(But maybe Hulk cries a little inside too. Maybe he just doesn't show it. Nah... ).

[DrJ]

I don't mean to advise anyone to seek out pain in hopes to better themselves. I just don't agree with philosophy that we should hide from it. If we ran and hid from everything that caused us pain, we would eventually have nowhere left to go.

It is like the mentality of the 12-step program. 12-step programs have worked for a lot of people the way they are and that is great... I have spent years involved in some and the thing I could never get passed was how the underlying message always seemed to be "run... hide from your addiction... if you EVER catch yourself anywhere around it, call for help because you are powerless over it." as if they were supposed to fear it... not overcome it.

I just don't see how that could solve anything... sure, you might get lucky and never come face-to-face with whatever your demon is... but if you ever did...

As for the ex-bf/gf thing, your life, as well as their life, has to go on. If you have the same circle of friends, you are bound to cross paths in some shape or form. And when you do, how would you want yourself to react to those situations? Do you want to react negatively, internalize it, feel misery, pain, despair, loneliness, hatred.. It's really up to you what you choose to take away from a relationship.

You could also take the time to really look at the relationship.. beyond your initial reactions and defenses. We are all pretty simple creatures. It doesn't take too much to identify what it is about a person that drives them to do what they do... what makes them tick. And hopefully, you take it all in... positive and negative... solidifying who you are and what you want in your life. The more you do that, the more you will attract that.

Have you ever noticed how some people find themselves in the same kinds of relationships over and over again? And how they are always focused on the negative aspects of those relationships afterward... only to find themselves back in another relationship just like it?

It's pretty interesting stuff...

[TexasLonghorn]

Threads merged.



Well its been almost 2 months since me and the ex broke up. I have been doing really well but Fridays seem to be when I get a bit down as I think about the wkend. I have plenty of stuff to do but I still think about what would we be doing.

My boyfriend of 8 months cheated by having internet ads looking for s--. Everyone says I am better off and better to find out now then later. All true... but damn I sometimes I just miss that 'ole jerk.

Just had to vent... thanks for "listening"

[jmw0713]

When you feel that way, call up one of your girls and do something fun to take your mind off him. You will go through times like this. I still miss my ex from time to time, and we broke up over 9 months ago.

[amicon]

I agree. And remember he s a jerk for a reason. Hugs

[Holly23]

Yeah of course your going to miss himm sometimes.Just remember at the times when you feel like that,that's he's a jerk and there's a reason why yere not together!

[help_ful101]

It does sound like you miss him but all you need to do is focus on something else because if not your going to keep missing him and edventually get back together with him which sounds like a bad idea because if he did it once he can do it again

[Romefalls19]

Well, since he was posting online for sex, perhaps when you think about him, think about the potential STD's you avoided by getting out of the relationship.

[ATG 94]

I'm feeling the same way today. It's been about 2 months since the ex-gf and I parted. It's been getting a lot better, and I've even been on a few dates.

Still, sometimes (like today) I just get really depressed and miss her a lot. I try to think of things she did that annoyed me, and that seems to help a little.

[TexasLonghorn]

Yeah I been thinking about the things I do NOT miss... and it does help.

You just have those moments...

ATG 94... stay strong today... we both will :^)

[talaniman]

Nice vent, 10 points for coming to the right place for it.