Okay, here’s the deal. If someone wants to break up with me, I say “okay.” I accept it. I might ask why if I’m curious. But I don’t argue with them about it.
Why?
Well, here’s the way I see it. When someone decides they want to break up with me, there are two possibilities:
- They have a good reason.
- They don’t have a good reason.
Scenario #1: They Have a Good Reason #
Obviously, if they have a good reason to break up with me, then they should do it. I do the best I’m capable of in relationships. If that isn’t a good fit for someone — for whatever reason — then it isn’t a good fit. Arguing with them isn’t going to change something that’s a true dealbreaker for them, a good reason for them to be breaking up with me. It’s just wasted energy.
Scenario #2: They Don’t Have a Good Reason #
“Okay, Page,” you might be saying, “but what if they _don’t _have a good reason. What if they’re about to throw away a perfectly good relationship for a silly reason?”
Here’s the thing: I don’t want to date someone like that. Someone who will discard another person on a whim for what’s not a good reason.
Is it possible that there’s some kind of misunderstanding and I could possibly talk to them and resolve it and finagle my way back into their good graces? Yes, quite possibly.
But do I really want to commit more time and energy to a person who pushes the “breakup” button so easily? Do I want to leave myself emotionally vulnerable to someone who pursues the breakup option lightly — and hopes the other person will talk them out of it “if they really care”?
No. I don’t.
And for what it’s worth, it’s probably best to know this as soon as possible.
Every Time I Deviate from this Pattern, I End Up Sorry #
It might sound a little oversimplified. And you might be sitting there thinking up all sorts of edge cases and times when this strategy of mine could be a BIG FREAKING MISTAKE… but to be honest, I’ve tried deviating from it. (In one case, I had second thoughts and reached out later. In another, I was humoring the response of a third party, who was dating this person at the same time I was.) And every single time I deviate from this pattern, I’m sorry.
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Like my essays? You’ll love my books. I’ve authored many of them, including 3 nonfiction books on polyamory and the Psychic State series, murder mysteries with strong female leads that feature a large ensemble cast of polyamorous characters.