Anita,

Thank you for your reassurance and support. Upon further reflection, I’ve uncovered another motive for my feeling the way I do. I should mention, I’m 24 years old, almost 25. Perhaps I’m being a bit selfish, but I want to go and do more than I think I’m capable of doing while in this current relationship, if not in any relationship in the foreseeable future. I plan on going to graduate school, and I want to do some travelling. I want to develop a stronger Zen practice, which I’ve neglected over the last few months. I’m also a musician, and I want to explore that avenue more.

I honestly don’t feel my passions align too strongly with hers. We’re quite different. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but I don’t feel particularly supported in these things, and have even felt mocked by her over them, at times–at least, when it’s come to practicing Zen. In essence, I don’t feel like I’m growing as much as I feel in capable of growing, in my current relationship, and that crushes me, frankly.