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Lazy mornings, explosive nights, and all the quiet, beautifully mundane moments in between.
The next morning, I woke up early to clear my head in Central Park. After forty-five minutes of aimless wandering, last night’s embers of indignation still flickered in my stomach, so I did what I always did when I needed to vent: I called my sister.
A dog barked in the background, and Agnes waited for it to quiet before continuing, “No one’s perfect. Sometimes, our partners will do things that drive us mad. I know I have habits Gunnar can’t stand. But the difference between the couples who make it and those who don’t is one, understanding what your dealbreakers are, and two, being willing to stick it out through the issues that aren’t dealbreakers.”
You can’t live your life trying to please others. You can be courteous and respectful, and you can compromise, but when it comes down to it? It’s your life. Don’t waste it.”
they spent their time shopping at the local farmer’s market and cooking together. Their countryside manor in Eldorra looked like something out of a fairytale, complete with two horses,
three dogs and, randomly, one sheep.
I stared across the lake at the buildings gleaming in the distance. I stood at the far end of the Gapstow Bridge, one of my favorite places in Central Park. The crowds were starting to trickle in, but it was early enough I could still hear the birds chirping in the background.
I stayed in the park for another hour after I hung up. In some ways, my talk with my sister provided much-needed clarity regarding my relationship with Dante. Venting did make me feel better, and as aggravating as Dante’s attitude had been, it wasn’t a dealbreaker. Yet. But what were my actual dealbreakers? Cheating and violence were non-negotiable. But what about lying? Different values? Lack of trust and communication? Where did I draw the line between what I could compromise on, like a little white lie about something small, and what I couldn’t?
I didn’t want us to be one of those couples who stewed in passive-aggressive silence.
The way I’d stayed in bed longer every morning just to catch her first smile of the day. The way our takeout lunch dates became my favorite part of the work week. The way I’d opened up to her about my family, my life, myself…
I held my own money-wise.
Love wasn’t always about the big moments. More often, it was tucked in the small moments connecting the major ones.
I hadn’t realized how much I’d needed to see him, just him, until now. He was the only person who could ground me after such a rollercoaster of a day.
A part of me would always find my way to her. She was my North Star, the brightest jewel in my sky.
