I cannot believe he did that. Just broke up with me, like it was nothing. Well, I say broke up, but that is definitely an understatement. He ceremoniously dumped me, in front of all of his friends, because he was too weak to stand on his own. Needed people there to give him that little egoistical boost. 

He said he thought that it was best for both of us. Best for him more like. He has been promoted and to him his career is everything. Well I feel sorry for him. Genuinely I do. He thinks that making money is everything. 

Listen, I understand that everyone has to make money to pay the bills. I would never be happy with being a kept girl myself. I just think that some people need to find more of a work/life balance. He spends so much time hidden away from the world in that pokey little office of his, that he never gets to experience the world. My mother was always a great believer in experiencing the world, and tried to give me and my sister a varied and exciting childhood. 

She succeeded. We went all over the country, but never out of it, though I know there was many a time that she wanted to take us abroad. She just could not afford it. Being a single mum and having to raise two daughters had its own financial limitations. But she took us to amazing places, galleries, zoos, museums, cathedrals and so much more. 

It is one of the principal reasons why I now live in Chichester. Mum took us here when we were eleven. I fell in love with the cathedral and just the whole lifestyle of the place. It's a city, but you'd never believe it was a city. It just had such a friendly and understanding community. Oh, I know that there is many more exciting places to live, but Chichester really spoke to me. It's beautiful, tranquil and everything that I could want from a place to live. 

Mum was upset when I told her that I was going to move, but she supported me one hundred per cent. She knew that I would have to leave the nest someday and it just so happened that a crisp chilly day in December was that day. I always visit her though, when I can. See I make time for people, unlike someone I could mention. 

He was going to break up with me at some point. I knew that, even though there was a small part of me that never wanted him to leave me. He was kind, sweet and gentle, and in some respects and no doubt to some girls, he would be the perfect man. But he is narrow minded and redefines what it means to be a workaholic. He loves the job more than he could ever love a person. One day he may wake up and actually see that, although, I highly doubt it. For now, at least, I think that I have to just come to terms with it. Do something for me. 

I know that it is an overused cliche, but I needed some time to find myself. Remember what I wanted out of life, my dreams and my goals. I had always loved to draw and take photographs, I still have the album of all the pictures I took when we went on trips with Mum. I enrolled on an introductory photography course, bought a high end camera and never looked back. 

I ended up quitting my city job in the end. Now I am a full time freelance photographer and I am loving every second of it. Him breaking up with me was a blessing in disguise. I guess I never really knew it at the time though. Sometimes, even if you are in a deeply committed relationship, you need to sit down and figure out what you want. The other person, if they are the right person, will support you and encourage you every step of the way. If they are not the right person, then move on like I did. But give them time. It probably took you a while to figure out what you wanted to do. They deserve that time too.

​Love life and everything that it offers you. Don't let someone else or your dreams for that matter stop you. I'm going to make myself a nice cup of coffee, if the dog decides to get out of the way!