Its almost as if we want (and it seems reasonable to me) to be totally free of any reminders of the stress being in the r/s caused once we decide we are done.
You're going about your day, happily, doing okay and then see his car and it's like PTSD (and I'm not making light of PTSD... I'm serious).
When I see the model car H drives when I am out and about I feel my pulse go up, I feel anxious, I feel upset... It's visceral and happens before I know it.
As you said, you are now better prepared for next time... You know it might happen again, it's happened already and you know how it makes you feel. Having what we dread, actually happen, sometimes makes it possible to be better prepared to deal with it the next time...
