Thanks Betsey for slapping sense into me...again. I will add that book to my reading list.
You're right. It's freaking hard to act like I don't care because I do care. Detaching has been tricky for me. I know that the term 180 implies the opposite of something...I actually tricked myself into believing that taking the pictures down would be seen as me compromising. I thought that if I showed him I was moving on too and taking him seriously that he would relax a little. I realize what a big mistake it was to take down the pictures. It was weakness in me trying to take the moral high ground.
I'm thankful for the temporary space between us. I've been able to relax instead of walking around feeling so tense. Ventured out for the first time today and took a nostalgic tour of my childhood hometown. I felt like me again...strong and confident. Betsey, he would expect me to not communicate. This is my usual style...silent treatment. Despite the distance he can still perceive it as a silent treatment. So i did text him once today to see how his day went. He replied with "Doing okay. How are you?" I couldn't help but respond with the natural emotion I was feeling at that moment...happy. I professed giddiness over the weather and the absence of VA's summer humidity and the uninterrupted flow of traffic. He replied with "That's cool. Glad you're having a good time." I left it at that.
Just a heads up that I will be camping for the next several days so I won't be able to post until Sunday evening. I will miss ya'll. I will definitely start with the solutions journal. I prefer to keep a mental note but having it on paper to refer back to will be greater evidence of my teeny-tiny successes. I will be thinking about my newly discovered DR/DB friends while I'm out in the mountains. May the next several days be tolerable if not good and may each one of you partake in a mini-celebration in your own DB/DR journey.
I will definitely start with the solutions journal. I prefer to keep a mental note but having it on paper to refer back to will be greater evidence of my teeny-tiny successes. I will be thinking about my newly discovered DR/DB friends while I'm out in the mountains. May the next several days be tolerable if not good and may each one of you partake in a mini-celebration in your own DB/DR journey. 
