Well written, but the advice never changes no matter who authors it.

It was easier to accept my late wife's death than the breakup of the 6 year relationship that followed.

My ex was perfect for me, except her childhood abandonment trauma made her incapable of real love and empathy.

But my God, she was beautiful. Talented, smart, sophisticated, artisitc, stylish and a whole bunch of other superlatives. Except she was a narcissist. And I a co-dependent, with the empasis on dependent.

I think you left out a vital 5th piece of advice. Forgiveness. We were really soulmates but we were both broken humans before we were even five years old. We were doomed from the start.

Sad, because we did like all the same things. I'll never find someone so compatible again.

If she was ever asked as a child what she wanted to be when she was grown up, I guarantee you her ambition was not to be a narcissist. Neither of us consciously chose our debilitating mental conditions.

I forgave her for everything. Forgiving myself was much harder, because I had to own my part in it, even if she never would own hers.

I avoid romantic relationships now. I never want to go through another breakup again. Maybe I've learned enough that the next one will be easier or less painful?

But I really don't want to put that thesis to the test.