It's been a while since I've posted on here. My boyfriend and I are currently working things out since he admitted to his affair. I've been dealing with anxiety and depression since the news, but it's slowly getting more tolerable. A few nights ago we were talking when he noticed something on my dorm wall that reminded him of the guy. I took it down and was met with something completely unexpected. He started out: "Thank you, thank you for everything. For putting up with me." I replied, "Yeah, I've been and I'm still going through hell." But then... "And for that I thank you. You are so strong. I'm proud of you. I'll never be as strong as you are. You are courageous, and I wasn't courageous enough. I need to learn from you. I love you so much." Not exactly the order since I was bawling at the time, but he said this. I honestly thought I was going through this alone. Of course we talked about it but I never thought of him appreciating me. It's nice to be recognized for the strength hidden behind the tears, nightmares, mood swings, etc. Once he told me this, I felt like I was a warrior queen, whom was just fighting the biggest war of her life...and won. It was an encouraging experience. I've learned from this experience is that: People make mistakes, so don't put all of yourself in them, or you'll be very disappointed. Being trusting can be nice, but hurt as well. Forgiveness is not free. If he were ever to do this again, I will be done. "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." Wounds will shape you. It hurts, but it's for the better. You are important and beautiful. To make it through this decently, you must have self-love, and, unfortunately, I didn't have it until after the fact. Stay strong. It will get better, though it may not be a fast recovery.