When one day, after many days of disappointment, your partner deals the final blow, the light finally dims in your heart. Fallen gingko nuts are like a failed relationship. Once so lovely hanging from the tree, they emit a stink as they are crushed underfoot. Be as gentle in ending a relationship as you were in starting it.

Proof of having really loved: You do not speak ill of your ex even after your relationship has ended.

Sometimes, after a relationship is over, you catch yourself thinking, “I hope she is happy,” without bitterness. This is a sign you have moved on. Pain caused by one person can be healed by another. But before you go out to meet someone new, make sure to give yourself time to be whole again. Otherwise you may end up using the new person you meet.

An exceptional relationship is not one with a good beginning but one with a good ending. Relationships often begin accidentally, but when it comes to ending them, we usually have choices. Choose the ending wisely.

Excerpt From: Haemin Sunim. “The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down: How to Be Calm and Mindful in a Fast-Paced World”. Apple Books.