Then, one day, we were g-chatting and getting a bit sentimental about the good ol' Africa days. He said that he really wanted to see me, and I agreed! We decided we'd reunite over a holiday weekend. That night, he booked a flight to Seattle! (He was quick to remind me that I had a lot of catch-up dating to do before he arrived; I succumbed to the realization that I wouldn't make it to date #87. Instead, the weekend was date #63.)
It had been over 2 years since I had last seen him and I was nervous to pick him up from the airport! Once reunited, however, it was as though no time had passed. We giggled, spoke Portuguese, and reminisced about taking bucket baths and killing chickens for dinner (yea, we're hardcore)!
We took advantage of every free minute the weekend offered--hiking/sledding with friends at Snow Lake, watching playful seals from kayaks on Alki, listening to bands at Folklife, eating meals at ethnic restaurants, getting drinks at bars in various neighborhoods...amongst many other activities. I created many more incredible memories with an amazing person! But, yet, I just wasn't really feeling it.
Maybe it was because I had set up so many expectations: Despite the 8 hour bus ride, we managed to see each other in Africa semi-regularly; undeterred by the 3 hour time difference, we talked almost every week; we have similar life aspirations and feel comfortable together. Meant to be, right?!
But I realized that, for some reason, this wasn't the person with whom I want to spend the rest of my life. And I think he felt the same way.
We still talk, though less frequently. I'll never forget him, or our adventures across different continents. But, the weekend gave us the insight that, perhaps our romantic flame had burnt out, and it's finally time to really move on.
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