I don't know about anyone else, so I can only speak for me.

It was a pretty bitter separation, honestly. We were both in denial about how bad things had gotten for so long. I was becoming pretty unhappy and very much on my way to becoming an alcoholic, so technically I was the one that left. But we were both equally responsible for things falling apart.

Do I enjoy my freedom and independence now? Sure.

Do I feel good about the fact that the person and the relationship that I dedicated a third of my life to fell apart, partly because of me? Not really, no.

~Austin