5 weeks remain til next chapter starts

[istherehope]

Thanks JCJ,

OK so first paragraph was the one I was wondering most about. I guess I will change the part about how I am glad he can talk to me more. So maybe instead,

"Thanks for letting me know how you are doing. Whatever you are doing for yourself definitely seems to be working and you not only sound good but you really look good too ;)!"--is this light enough? It is trying to be flirtatious, and Jody had suggested validating his progress. I want to make sure it doesn't sound condescending though.

I get your point about validating his guilt. I was sort of thinking the same about not "telling" him how to feel. Wouldn't it be great if it were that simple, reverse psychology,like "don't love me please!"

So instead, "I understand that you feel guilty about taking this time for yourself, but I've realized that we both need it, so have taken a page from your book and decided to use this time to work on myself, and I too am getting a lot out of it." I added the "I realized we both needed it" because it was something that Jody had once suggested, and it makes it look like he is doing something good for me.

On the next paragraph then, "I'm definitely converting for me. You led me to Judaism and have been teaching me, and continue to teach me, a lot about it, which I really appreciate, but when I finally take the plunge, so to speak, it will be for myself. It is something that fulfills me."

Then I'll keep the last paragraph about the paintings and the countries, and just add, "Hope you are having a good day"

Does this all seem OK? I REALLY hope this is the end of the email thread, that he reads it, feels good, and gets on with his day.

This is maybe the first time where I haven't WANTED him to contact me. (Doesn't mean I'm not secretly hoping for a weeping phone call where he begs me to come home

ITH