When should a relationship end?

[erica812]

I don't usually participate in the Chit Chat threads, but I do have some experience in this area. A few years ago (I was 21 then), I was engaged to a guy from my hometown. We were together one year before getting engaged, and we were planning an 18 month engagement. To most of the world (including my fiance), we had the perfect relationship. We never fought, and we were always kind and respectful toward each other. My friends were constantly commenting on how "in love" and how "cute" we were, but inside, I was dying. Even though he was nice to me, our relationship did not make me happy. I knew what sort of life I wanted to have, and our being together was not helping me to become the person I knew God intended me to be. I was creating a "fake" life that wasn't good for me or for him. Breaking up was the hardest thing I even had to do...before or since! I was miserable at first, but soon I realized that it was something I had to do for myself. Now, I am very happily married, and I would never have met my wonderful husband if I had not listened to my heart. I had known something was wrong for months, but I had to really learn to listen to myself before I could ever be happy.

Good luck!
Erica