Here’s the thing I don’t like to write about Brittni. It hurt too much, the pain was real. Though it’s been two years. I think time for the most part has healed… scarred over the wounds she left in her wake. This post isn’t about how much Brittni fucked up my life its more about Robert Frost. There’s that cliché line that everyone loves to quote:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference
It’s a great line, let’s be honest. It make sense why it gets quoted so much. My life is full of key moments. Going to Rose-Hulman, Failing to get in to Pike, Joining BBBS, Getting my MBA, turning down an offer at OkCupid to work at Microsft, Going to NYE at EMP, being destroyed by Brittni. Good or bad all of those moments (and countless others) happened and they define the life I’m living right now. For a long time I hated how Brittni destroyed this imagined future I had with her, but here’s the deal it was just imagination. It probably would have been a great future, but lets look at what happened on the less traveled road. The one that was full of weeds, thorns, and scary monsters.
While I dated Brittni I basically made 0 friends in Seattle. I had a handful of people I knew prior or from work but that was it. My life basically revolved around her because I was a fish out of water. When it ended I was back at square one. I had no idea what to do with myself. I hadn’t invested in my time in Seattle, I really didn’t know anyone and I barely had any hobbies. I still did BBBS but that barely took up my time. In the end during my low point I binged on Yoga. It was the only thing I knew that would hold me together.
Eventually even that got excessive and I needed something else. Fortunately my friend John convinced me to go to the Seattle Anti Freeze Run meetup for a Thursday night jaunt. So first off… I’ve run before but I mean I wasn’t like really in to it. But hey what else did I have to do with my free time. I basically fucked up my hands from too much yoga so lets go for it. I went once and basically talked to no one. It was awkward and I didn’t know what to do. But hey I’m no quitter. So I kept going and going… I started going on Tuesdays, I started going on Saturdays. I started meeting people. I started creating social events, I went on camping trips, I ran races. Now I live this life where my world is full of beautiful wonder amazing people. I’ve made friends who I’d compare with some of my bests. I’ve had adventures that I never would have done if my world had just been Brittni.
So yes the break up forced me down a road less traveled, but in the end it really did make all the difference.