Well it all began about 4 years ago. I met this girl, and she and I dated and fell for each other in a long distance relationship. At the time, I was a graduate student and she was working full time. After the first year, we both wanted to get married. For her, she wanted it sooner than I did. I wanted to finish my graduate education, a 4 year program, and didn't really see myself married as a full time student, so I wanted to wait at least couple of more years.
During our first year in the relationship, she would come over and visit (by catching long flights) and spend the holiday breaks with me. Since I wasn't working at the time, I never visited her (but always wanted to). She would bring gifts over with her for me, and she really felt very happy at the time. I made sure she had good time during our time together, she even extended her return trip for me just to spend a little more time together.
In our second year, graduate school became very very demanding, and she and I talked less and less on the phone, we both felt things were not the way they use to be, especially for her who had more free time than I did on weekends (I had exams to prepare every weekend). One day, I felt that sooner or later, the relationship would end simply because we were two people who deserved to meet a better time in their lives. So I told her that it was best that we moved on, and I blamed the long distance relationship being the reason why we couldn't be together. She didn't take it very well, she made a vow that she would never talk to me again. I told her that I would still be a friend, even though she felt that way.
3 years later. I finish my graduate education, and last Christmas, I was deleting some old emails from my inbox, and I came across her old emails. I decided to write her a "happy new year" email, thinking that she would find the message caring and remembered. She wrote back a very long message, with a very angry tone asking me to leave her alone and that she is married now and has a kid, and how they are blessed and tons of other things that I didn't even ask about. I was very surprised after all these years, that she is still mad at me, and holding a grudge that I didn't expect to last this long. Perhaps it could be described as a deep resentment, but I was really confused why did she bother to reply, if she felt so strongly and offended by my holidays greetings.
Overall, in part, I blame a lot of what happend myself. I could have handled the break-up differently, but at the same time I made a decision that was probably best for her and I at the time. I now find myself constantly thinking about her, wondering if I was her real love and she is now blaming me for the way her life turned out.
So, can a broken heart last this long? despite moving on and getting married to someone else? or in my situation, is the girl's story still being written, and possibly having a hidden issue that I completely don't understand.
Please share your thoughts.
Cheers~