Hmm. My friend across town is indeed easing herself out of an emotionally draining, if not abusive, relationship. She’s doing what she needs to do to extricate herself and get herself back on her feet. She knows the guy she was with was no good for her, her children, her future. Her family doesn’t like him… She knows, admits, she made a mistake. She wishes she had done things differently. But she’s learned things about herself.

And I was able to say, finally:

“He didn’t seem right for you.”

“You deserve better than that.”

“He seems very insecure.”

“Are you scared of him?”

I was able to acknowledge that I couldn’t be the same friend to her when she was with him, because he was in the way. Because he made her a different person. I didn’t lie. I was a friend.

And I think she was honest with me–something I had stopped expecting.

I do not regret this lunch I had today.