Telling her you won't agree that you should date other people makes perfect sense to me. Why on earth would you agree to it?
Thing is, if she has said you are controlling, she probably considered that just one more controlling thing. No compromise, no discussion, your way or the highway... But, you didn't make her feel bad about her request (at least it doesn't sound like it) you simply stated what you would accept and what you wouldn't. For me, I'm able to at least understand that straight forward control. It's the subtle, "yeah" that comes across as "i don't approve and you are wrong and blah blah" or just silence...
When my H told me he wanted a Divorce, I was devistated, but when i picked myself up i realized that i had been so unhappy before that i had unintentionally stopped doing the things i loved. I realized that i needed to focus on me and what I loved because I needed something to take my mind off the loss. I love playing/watching sports. I hadn't done this in months, so I joined a softball team again, renewed my gym membership, started watching games. Maybe thats part of why he said he wanted to work on things again, he saw me happy, I don't know, but I know that I hadn't realized how much i missed those things. Maybe she didn't either until she realized that she needed that for her.
If i can't fall in love... I'd like to fall in chocolate! ~ Author Unknown
