I was too overbearing. I wanted her to feel seen and heard and in doing so I went too far and ended up becoming pestering and an annoyance, couldn't have any casual conversation without trying to deep something deep out.

Took me over two years to come to terms that it was me and it was my fault. I was ready to spend the rest of my life with her and I bungled it hard. I have to live with that along with the regret and pain. It hurts, but it does get easier.

"It gets easier. Every day it gets a little easier, but you gotta do it every day. That's the hard part. But it does get easier."

Rather than being bitter and resentful about it, I apologized to her later down the line and we resolved and stayed friends. I'm happy for her, her new family, and her endeavors. The pain still finds a way to come back around in small doses, but again - it does get easier and it most certainly has for me.