28: thank you, “Too Good to Leave, Too Bad to Stay” by Mira Kirshenbaum

february 10th, 2025

comic time! it’s been an emotional rollercoaster of a week. something came up in my relationship earlier this month that’s since triggered a lot of big scary feelings and what-ifs in my brain, and I’m both proud (yay communication!) and not proud (too much communication?? jumping to too many conclusions?) of how I approached my most recent interactions with my partner, and we’re currently picking up the pieces and figuring out what we want to do next. <3

.

transcript:

when I suddenly recognize a potential escape route to a looming challenge I’m facing, I’m often rapidly filled with deep faith that this route is the right answer and great vigor with which to pursue it.

sometimes I do pursue it, and sometimes I’m happy I did so, while other times I regret it.

sometimes I wait and let those feelings fade, and keep working to face the challenge anyway.

sometimes I regret doing so, and wish I’d taken the route out when I’d first noticed it. other times, recently, I’m learning what it feels like to be happy I kept working at something even when I was scared — to stay not because the route out was too much work, but because I genuinely wanted to try, even when I didn’t have all the answers yet.

[at the bottom of the otherwise blank page, a stick-figure Blobic sits crossed-legged next to a vase of green flowers, talking on the phone.]
“hey Chris? it’s me. I don’t actually want to break up, and I’m really sorry I panicked like that. I think we can do this, and I want to try with you”

.