In or Out, Stay or Go: Finding the Line

I’ve had these two beautiful, conflicting songs in my head lately:

“And it’s so hard to do
And so easy to say
But sometimes, sometimes you just have to walk away” — “Walk Away,” Ben Harper

“And don’t be acting halfway
When you know we’re all the way.” — “ All the Way,” Eric Clapton

Where does the line exist for me?

The line demarcating acceptable and not, tolerable or not, good enough and not enough. The line between choosing to stay, and choosing not to.

The line that leads away from the Clapton song, and towards the Ben Harper one. It’s noble and fulfilling to hew to Clapton’s vision, but it can’t exist without the real possibility, the truth, the acknowledgement of the Ben Harper one.

Not every argument or fight between you and your significant other is a State of the Union of the relationship. Bad days can lead to bad weeks to bad months and even that, as unpleasant as it is, does not have to mean The End.

Choose your metaphor: a bank account. The building or dismantling of a wall. The depositing into or withdrawal from a well. A gas tank that is full, or dangerously close to empty.