New Life, New Me...

Any one of many people in the last week: "Hey Mel, you've changed your look, and you always seem to be smiling these days. What's going on?"
Me (with a smile): "New life, new me."

Now of course, some people get more of an explanation than that, but everyone who asks gets the same opening remark, because it's so true. I will not bad talk T, because he really wasn't a bad guy, but there is no doubt in my mind at this point that our relationship held me down. Honestly though, that was my own fault for allowing so much negativity to cloud my mind.

But here I am, almost a month after ending things and I've already seen drastic changes in my attitude towards life, people, and even towards our relationship. I can see things now that I couldn't when I was still involved. In stepping back, I'm able to see that there were many unchangeable factors that I never had control over and that things just were not meant to be from day one. And I also see how much I've learned and grown since June 2001. I know what is important to me in a relationship, and I'm not just talking about romantic relationships either! Qualities like respect and patience are mandatory for any relationship to work.

I am so grateful for everyone who has been with me through the last eight years (or any part of it) to listen to my complaints, hug me when I needed it, give me the truth when I didn't want to hear it, and so much more. A couple of months ago, I didn't know if I could go through a breakup with him again. I even contemplated staying with him to ride it out JUST so that I wouldn't have to repeat what we went through in 2006. But with constant prayer, I've made it, and there's no turning back now!

Anybody want to celebrate my new life and the new me with me?