The hardest part

In school, I've been learning about the different stages of love.  When you're infatuated with someone, every time you are with them or think of them you have a rush of dopamine and a greatly increased heart rate.  You have a hard time thinking of anything else.

You might even forget you're precariously balanced hundreds of feet above the ground!

When Dave and I were dating, I always felt like if only I could be there with him (we dated long distance for years), then I could help him with all of his problems.  And at the time, that was true - as long as I was there, he wasn't thinking about his problems.  He was thinking about me.  To me, that feels really powerful.  To be able to take away all of someone's problems, even if it is only for a few minutes, is pretty awe-inspiring.

But though love lasts forever, infatuation can't.  Physically, I don't think our bodies could take it, so it fades in and out.  Now, I can't fix things just by being with Dave.  

Not being able to fix everything, not being able to make the problems go away - that just might be the hardest part of this whole situation.  It's definitely in the top 4.  It makes me feel helpless, and irritated, which certainly doesn't help things.