Hey, I need to talk to you about something.  Something that’s been on my mind lately.

Oh, I don’t know, a year or two now.  Just let me explain…

Look, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately, and… well, I just don’t know if this is meant to be.  I know we’ve been together for years, and we’ve had our share of great times and hard times.  Things were really tough in the beginning, but once I better understood what this relationship was going to require of me, I adjusted and adapted, and then things were much, much better.  I was able to commit more of myself to what you needed and deserved.  I stayed up late, long hours for you, devoted entire weekends to making plans, and constantly assessed where we stood, just like you wanted me to do.  But you had to know that I couldn’t keep up that intensity forever, right?

It’s just that, I dunno… Have you ever arrived at a place where you wondered if this… us… we would be together forever or just for now?  I mean, the last eight years have been a lot of work and a lot of fun, but do you really see us together forever?

I have to be honest – I don’t.  You’re great, really, but I’m just at a place in my life where I need something… different.  I’m not the same guy I was eight years ago.

It’s not you.  It’s me.

***

I officially resigned my teaching position today, and accepted a full-time, tenure track school psychologist position at another school, to begin in 2009.  Chapter Two begins now.