“It’s nice to see you again,” I said.

 

“It’s nice to see you, too,” he reciprocated. 

 

“I wasn’t sure if I would actually see you again, but I was hopeful,” I shared.

 

“I was never truly gone,” he reassured. “I just had to take a step back so that you could step up for yourself in a different way.”

 

“I did miss you this whole time,” I replied while holding back tears.

 

“I know, and I missed you, too,” he said. “I hope you still felt that I was nearby, whether it was a smile creeping up on your face because someone said something silly, or you were feeling the beat of a favourite song. Those were reminders of me.” 

 

“You know, I did have those moments, and they were comforting as I took time to process and feel things,” I expressed.

 

“You look so happy now,” he commented.

 

“I am,” I responded as the tears now began to trickle down. “It wasn’t always easy, but I knew I had to slightly change to deal with change, even if it meant having to fall apart.”

 

“That’s okay. Sometimes, we need to fall apart to remember the pieces we love about ourselves,” he offered. “I’m proud of how you handled things, and I’m so glad we are here in this moment now.”

 

“Thank you for saying that,” I replied as I wiped away the tears. “And I don’t tell you this often enough, but I have always been proud of how you move through this world. I’m ready for whatever is next for us.”

 

“Me, too,” he answered.

 

And that’s how I found my way back to myself while bringing along a new part of me.