It was a long five hours, yet it is done. My ex therapist picked me up, and we went to dinner. In the car she gave me a book, with the most appropriate card – a sleeping critter with the words, "You can wake up now." How apropo in our time together. I keep telling her the sofa is my best friend, which she has always refused to believe. Inside the book (my secret), she wrote,

"Dear tw4me,

I am honored to have had your trust to help in the journey that brought you to now – the starting point for the rest of your journey to wherever you may go.

Love,

FM"

As I literally move away from her, in turn I move away from here. To her, and to all I am grateful.

tw4me

ETA: At drop off, I went and got something out of the house to give her. When I handed it to her she looked at it, and got out of her car to give me a warm embrace. When we pulled apart I could see the tears in her eyes through her glasses. We hugged one last time. I had no tears to shed, just a wealth of strength that propelled me to turn and walk away, as she returned to drive off into the night.