Hi Al, Thanks so much for the answer. The only part I think you missed is where we've already agreed to take a 6-month "time out" and not see each other while he explores. There's no way for me to act clingy while we're not having any contact, of course, but I'm not sure how we manage to share the journey when we're not seeing or talking to each other. What you call reliable membership is probably my biggest issue -- trusting that connections aren't going to just vanish. I'm having a really hard time staying balanced in the face of my fear that he simply won't come back on the day we've agreed the "time out" is over. And yes, I know: that's MY stuff to work on...