“
ReaÂsons Why I Loved BeÂing With Jen
I love what a good friend you are. You’re reÂally enÂgaged with the lives of the peoÂple you love. You orÂgaÂnize lovely exÂpeÂriÂences for them. You make an efÂfort with them, you’re paÂtient with them, even when they’re sideÂtracked by their chilÂdren and can’t priÂorÂiÂtize you in the way you priÂorÂiÂtize them.
You’ve got a genÂerÂous heart and it exÂtends to peoÂple you’ve never even met, whereas I think that evÂeryÂone is out to get me. I used to say you were naive, but reÂally I was jealÂous that you alÂways thought the best of peoÂple.
You are a bit too anxÂious about beÂing seen to be a good perÂson and you defÂiÂnitely go a bit overÂboard with your left-wing polÂiÂtics to prove a point to evÂeryÂone. But I know you reÂally do care. I know you’d sign peÂtiÂtions and help peoÂple in need and volÂunÂteer at the homeÂless shelÂter at ChristÂmas even if no one knew about it. And that’s more than can be said for a lot of us.
I love how quickly you read books and how abÂsorbed you get in a good story. I love watchÂing you lie on the sofa readÂing one from cover-to-cover. It’s like I’m in the room with you but you’re in a whole other galÂaxy.
I love that you’re alÂways tryÂing to imÂprove yourÂself. Whether it’s running marathons or setÂting yourÂself chalÂlenges on an app to learn French or the fact you go to therÂapy evÂery week. You work hard to beÂcome a betÂter verÂsion of yourÂself. I think I probÂaÂbly didn’t make my adÂmiÂraÂtion for this known and inÂstead it came off as irÂriÂtaÂtion, which I don’t reÂally feel at all.
I love how dedÂiÂcated you are to your famÂily, even when they’re anÂnoyÂing you. Your loyÂalty to them wound me up someÂtimes, but it’s only beÂcause I wish I came from a big famÂily.
I love that you alÂways know what to say in conÂverÂsaÂtion. You ask the right quesÂtions and you know exÂactly when to talk and when to lisÂten. EvÂeryÂone loves talkÂing to you beÂcause you make evÂeryÂone feel imÂporÂtant.
I love your style. I know you think I probÂaÂbly never noÂticed what you were wearÂing or how you did your hair, but I loved seeÂing how you get ready, sitÂting in front of the full-length mirÂror in our bedÂroom while you did your make-up, even though there was a mirÂror on the dressÂing taÂble.
I love that you’re mad enough to swim in the English sea in NoÂvemÂber and that you’d pick up spiÂders in the bath with your bare hands. You’re brave in a way that I’m not.
I love how free you are. You’re a very free perÂson, and I never gave you the satÂisÂfacÂtion of sayÂing it, which I should have done. No one knows it about you beÂcause of your borÂing, high-presÂsure job and your stuffy upÂbringÂing, but I know what an adÂvenÂturer you are unÂderÂneath all that.
I love that you got drunk at JackÂson’s chrisÂtenÂing and you alÂways wanted to have one more drink at the pub and you never comÂplained about getÂting up early to go to work with a hangÂover. Other than Avi, you are the perÂson I’ve had the most fun with in my life.
And even though I gave you a hard time for alÂways tryÂing to for alÂways tryÂing to imÂpress your dad, I acÂtuÂally found it very adorable beÂcause it made me see the child in you and the teenager in you, and if I could time-travel to anyÂwhere in hisÂtory, I swear, Jen, the only place I’d want to go is to the house where you grew up and hug you and tell you how beauÂtiÂful and clever and funny you are. That you are specÂtacÂuÂlar even withÂout all your sports trophies and muÂsic cerÂtifiÂcates and inÂcredÂiÂble grades and OxÂford acÂcepÂtance.
I’m sorry that I loved you so much more than I liked myÂself, that must have been a lot to carry. I’m sorry I didn’t take care of you the way you took care of me. And I’m sorry I didn’t take care of myÂself, eiÂther. I need to work on it. I’m pleased that our break-up taught me that. I’m sorry I went so mental.
I love you. I always will. I'm glad we met.
”
”