Dear Prudence,
I have been in a relationship with my boyfriend for three years, and it has been a difficult one. Between poor communication, frequent arguments about his immature tendencies, and a clash of ideals, I came to the decision a few months ago to end things. When I told him, he begged me for another chance to improve. I reluctantly gave it, and there has admittedly been significant changes. He’s much more open-minded, talks more about his feelings, shows more consideration, and is earnestly trying to reconnect with me. So what’s the problem? I still want to break up.
My desire to end things had not been born out of a single bad day or spur-of-the-moment impulse. I had agonized over the consequences to ending a three-year commitment (including but not limited to how close he is to my family and the awkwardness that would stem from shared friends) and decided it was for the best to walk away. I have affection for him, but am not in love with him. In other words, while my boyfriend is arguably a better one in recent weeks, it’s too little, too late. I’m at an age where if I want to get married and have kids, I can’t afford to wait to see if I’ll fall for him again.
A part of me rationalizes that his “changes” are temporary, merely an effort to lure me into false contention before going back to how he was. Still, I don’t want to be cruel in ending things because he does seem genuine in his attempts. I also don’t want to continue in the relationship I have no emotional investment in because he decided to get better after the fact. How do I do it?
— Out of Love, Out of Time