I'm glad you feel like you can talk to me more now. This is really important to me. You seem to have so much more energy and enthusiasm now than even a few weeks ago.
I wouldn't say this. You don't have to vocalise that you like that he can talk to you, he already feels like he can because you are making it safe to do so - saying it will put pressure on him. Have a think about a new 1st paragraph - you could mention something about the pets being excited to see him at lunchtime?? Keep it light.
Quote:
Don't feel guilty about taking this time for yourself. I've taken a page from your book and decided to take this time apart to work on myself too. I saw that there were a lot of things I needed to change, things that would be damaging both to the relationship and to myself.
Instead of this I would write something like
'I understand that you feel guilty about taking this time for yourself but I've taken a page from your book and decided to use this time to work on myself and I too am also getting a lot out of it.
Part of this time for me is really thinking about my conversion to Judaism. You led me to it and taught me a lot about it (it fulfills me? - sorry I don't want to write this bit for you as it is your personal choice but I am just turning the words around a bit for greater impact, you don't want it to seem like it was a light decision because it isn't) but the final decision was for myself.
3 countries each, so now you won't have one up on me anymore ;). Looking forward to that painting! I have 2 up in my room already.'
The reason that I changed the ‘don't feel guilty’ is because you don't want to tell him how to feel, you want to validate. I also got from his email that he is questioning whether you are converting to Judaism just for him and I thought painting yourself in a negative light by saying
Quote:
I saw that there were a lot of things I needed to change, things that would be damaging both to the relationship and to myself
you could *show* him you are using this time by talking about Judaism and that you are working on you.
