Today I say good-bye to an old and trusted friend. I know that I kept you with me in the moments of fear, sadness, boredom, loneliness, elation, stress, and when I just needed a reprieve from this busy life as working mom, wife, daughter, sister, and neighbor. Its true- I loved you very much. You calmed my nerves, became my reward system, sat with me and was on my side when I had spats with the hubby, and you never talked back or disagreed. I am honestly saddened to now accept that despite all you have done, you are not a friend at all. You kill me in inches, isolate me from society, fill me with shame, make me smell, yellow my teeth, and keep me from processing my real feelings, I can't afford to sit with you anymore, take walks in the dark with you to hide you from people, ask you to celebrate my successes and soothe me through the rough times. You have been my parent, my sedative, my escape, and my treat. I cannot, however, allow you to be my life anymore. I will miss you, but I will move on.