Breaking Up Is Not So Hard To Do

Dear Vancouver, I’m breaking up with you. It’s not that I don’t want to be with you, it’s just that my desire to be somewhere else is much stronger.  I really think we should see other cities or towns. Very soon. Like right now. After I’m done dumping you. Maybe we could just be friends?

You know this has been coming for a long time, and you really must believe me when I say I really do hate to see it end like this. As you well know, I like to write things down, so here are just a few reasons why this can’t go on:

• Your house prices are completely wacky and have become disconnected from reality. Basically, the price of real estate and the cost of living is too high, while pay is simply too low.

• You’re too moody in a very rainy way. Morning drizzle, lingering showers, and full-on rain just downright puts me in the doldrums. I know this was never a problem before, but since I’m somewhere new, where rain is a rare “event”, I’m much happier.

• You have the worst traffic jams in North America. Just sitting on your gridlocked streets can bring me to tears. I really can’t deal with it anymore so I'm trading in my car for a canoe.

• You have no soul. I can't feel your happiness when I am constantly stuck in a long line-up or a traffic jam. Angry people have turned your once warm heart into a superficial, empty shell.

• Our relationship is suffocating me; you are much too overcrowded and overdeveloped.

So there you have it, Vancouver, we’ve had an on-again off-again relationship for almost 30 years. But after leaving again for the fourth time, I’ve come to the realization that it’s really over this time and I’m never coming back. 

Yes I’m the first to admit that in the eyes of the world you’ve been a pretty good place to live in the past, however, the growing list above has given me a strong urge to stray and I know I've strayed before but this time I've found somewhere where I can live free and unrestricted; somewhere where the sun shines warmly and there's never any traffic chaos (and I do mean never); I've found a place that really makes me feel alive. Yes I know that perhaps I’m still in the honeymoon stage of this new relationship, but my heart just can’t take this constant breaking-up and then making-up anymore!

I know I'm making it seem easy, and to be honest it wasn’t too difficult with Vaseux Lake sitting pretty and waiting for me in the wings. I do think the space between us these past few months has been good for me though I know you took it rather hard. The minimal contact we did have was necessary to deal with the practical aspect of things like moving out, signing papers, etc. Thank you for enabling me to keep our visits short and civil. 

Of course a stage of denial is completely natural during times like this, no matter who instigated the breakup, but acceptance is the key to being able to move on. I have accepted and embraced my new life at Vaseux Lake and I hope you can move on quickly too. There is no benefit to holding on to heartache and regret.

Please don’t try to tempt me back again, it won’t work this time. When I find myself in a weak moment and missing you, I will pull out my list and ask myself “why would I want to go back and torture myself again?” I did the right thing getting as far away from you as I could. Our relationship was no good for me!

I’m sorry, Vancouver, that we are done; our relationship was unique and special in a lot of ways but I’ve made up my mind and Vaseux Lake is “the one” I want to spend the rest of my life with. Here I feel renewed, revitalized and prepared for a whole new wonderful life. 

Vancouver, there will always be a special place in my heart for you and definitely if you're ever out this way, be sure to look me up.

Regretfully,