Hi @laineraine, congrats on your first post.

Sad to hear that your relationship did not work out, and I can imagine it's a pain you're still nurturing. I know you've tried your best, stayed true to your heart, fought again the expectations of others, and yet, it wasn't meant to be.

And it's ok, because it's better to have experience that end of the pool and live to tell the stories, than to never love at all.

In relationship, things are never easy because it's the connection between 2 people. Frankly, going up against yourself - like learning how to swim or hiking a mountain - is way easier, because it's only you against the odds.

Letting go sounds like a good advice. Just like the boy who reached into the jar to grab a fistful of candy, but couldn't get his hands out. Try as he might, he knew he had to let go of what he wanted most to free himself. Then he stood back, looked at the candies in the jar, and realised that if he tilted the jar, the candies would fall out. Such is the nature of life, until we free ourselves from the gloom of yesterday, we can't see the light of tomorrow.

Hope this helps, and have a nice weekend.

p.s. letting go is not always giving up. Quitting from one endeavour free you from the crutches, and enables you to succeed in the adventure that awaits.