Moving past the WAW to a stronger me Pt. 2

[Davide]

Hey folks. Greetings from Minnesota. I spent a couple of fun days in Chicago before moving up to Madison and then Minneapolis.
The driving has been okay as I have been able to fill it up with audiobooks, podcasts, and spotify music. Of course I have a couple of back to back 8 hour drives over the flatlands of North Dakota and Montana looming, so we will see how they go.

In Madison I stayed with an acquaintance, but it was a high anxiety day for me, possibly because of the half a gummy I took the night before, possibly because I seemingly had a bad reaction to some food and my stomach wasnt right all day.

Minnesota has been great. I bouldered in Minneapolis and went for a bike ride along the banks of the Mississippi and then through downtown. Then I drove up to another town an hour a way where some good friends of the W and I are currently living. It has been really great to spend time with them.

I do need advice though. Today I finally got my first communication from the W since I left town over two weeks ago. She sent me a longish email. The first paragraph was about how she has thought of writing me messages nearly every day but doesnt want to disturb me. How she doesnt want me to think that she is erasing me from her life or that she doesnt love me. She does love me. She ends it by saying that I have been the most important person in her life for 8 years and she has loved me with her whole heart.

The rest was about how she is trying to live without a car, but that she has a place to live set up, and about how the dog has been escaping from the backyard recently (a problem if I am going to be living alone with the dog).

It is hard for me to reconcile her words with her actions. Throughout the whole process she has been affectionate, and almost loving towards me but resolute in her intention to move out and separate. She has consistently told me that she loves me (even if she isnt in love with me) and cares very much about me. When she sees me in person she hugs me and is affectionate.
I also struggle with my reaction. I have been feeling more and more detached on the trip, although I still struggle at times. This email got to me though. I couldnt just shrug it off, and trying to do so wouldnt honor the emotions that I am feeling. It fills me with longing and sadness.

In terms of a response I am going to wait til tomorrow, but I do want to respond. My question is how to modulate the response. I want to validate her feelings, I want to be friendly. I want to show her that I am doing well and enjoying myself. Can I include anything about my trip? I would love to show her a picture of me and our common friends that we took last night. Is that too pursuitish? Basically, Id like to show her that I am good but that I would like to keep the lines of communication open, but without pressure. I feel like not responding or being overly brief in the email would send the wrong kind of message.
Wise heads, any thoughts?