I'm sure it wasn't easy, but you did the right thing, Cindy (although every guy within reach in cyberspace winced at the "hope we can be friends"-part ... !!
Rosebud ... I suspect that I will always deal with the urge to bury feelings and running away and hiding. Alcohol provided me with an escape which while it proved to not be effective long-term, it did allow me to run away. Especially at home, when I'm confronted with some conflict with someone close to me, my first instinct is to run and hide!
I'm proud of myself for learning to address some issues head on. Often it's a very conscious decision on my part to listen and work through whatever drama is on the agenda. In the past, my running to hide behind the bottle created an "unavailability" to my family. I'm sure this has been an adjustment to my family as well as they now need to learn how to deal with Dad! We're getting better ...
Rainy in Whoville ... dang it.