ESSAY December 2024 - Ending Things Well - Ann R., Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

ESSAY Magazine (An International Journal of Sexaholics Anonymous)

I recently dated someone for three months. The first month was great, but by the second month, I felt like he was pulling back emotionally. By the third month, we said our goodbyes.

Earlier in the third month, I broached the topic to him that I had been feeling a change in our communications for a few weeks. He thought about it, then it dawned on him why he was pulling back. As we discussed it, we both realized it was something that neither of us could overcome: For us to continue forward, one person would have to sacrifice themselves for the other. That didn't feel right. We had hit an impasse.