Today, I feel like a man awakening from a hangover.

It’s the seven year hangover but, a hangover nonetheless. The alcoholic, treats a hangover by going out the next morning and getting drunk again. I know that’s not the answer.

If that were the case, I’d be out there getting drunk again.

Of course, I’m not talking about drinking even so please, don’t confuse me with a problem drinker - I’m using the analogy to describe the situation I’m currently in. The woman I shared the last seven years with moved out last week.

It was awhile coming.

Things didn’t work for awhile and were stagnating and both of us could feel it. Nothing nasty, not a whole bunch of bitterness, just a good helping of sadness to go around for two people caught up in a situation they don’t know how to fix together and hope they can fix by being apart.

I don’t think it makes much sense but, hey, what do I know, I’m a guy and all of us men are put together pretty much the same when it comes to the whole relationship thing.

Women are much better about communicating things than men are. Now, I think I’m a good communicator but, I don’t know if I’m such a great listener. Listening means keeping your mouth shut and having an open mind and while I’ve tried to correct the tendency to shift from having an open mouth and a closed mind to having a closed mouth and an open mind the transition hasn’t been easy and like most other men, it’s contrary to my nature.

So, I find myself in a place where I can’t blame anyone but, still I can’t be happy with the result.

I figured something out though - I like being part of a couple. I don’t think I was bad at it either. I worked at it (which is more than what can be said for many of my brethren).