A few days ago, I unexpectedly ran into my ex-boyfriend, with whom I ended things two years ago. It was an unusual encounter, as we always seem to cross paths at significant moments, as if the universe is at play. The last time we crossed paths was on New Year’s Eve, just minutes before midnight, which left us feeling awkward. This time, it happened on his birthday, which felt almost deliberate, especially since I had just been thinking about whether or not I should send him a message. But when is the right time to leave people in the past?

We all have someone who once played a crucial role in our lives – a partner, a best friend – people who, for one reason or another, have drifted away.

There’s something uncanny about bumping into someone from your past – a topic that doesn’t get discussed often enough. We all have someone who once played a crucial role in our lives — a partner, a best friend — people who, for one reason or another, have drifted away. Yet, at the same time, these people continue to influence who we are today. They serve as a small reminder of what no longer fits, while the core of who they are remains the same. It often feels as if you last saw them only yesterday, even though life has continued to move forward. You give each other a brief update on your lives, occasionally exchanging smiles, with a hint of awkwardness lingering now and then. 

After this unexpected encounter, I shared the experience with my current partner, who gave me a gentle hug of understanding, without finding the situation odd. It felt right to express how I felt about it — that it was both strange and familiar, that we had taken the time to catch up, but that there was nothing more to it than that fleeting moment. Knowing that the person I’m with now understands where I'm coming from gives me confidence that I’m in the right place, that I can feel safe enough to share my past as we focus on building our future together.

Realizing that time isn’t always linear allows us to see how certain things continue to resonate in the present.

After all, love is love, even if some parts of it linger in the past. Realizing that time isn't always linear allows us to see how certain things continue to resonate in the present – memories that aren’t confined to the past but extend into the future, shaped by the choices we make and the people we choose to share our lives with. After a while, you feel a sense of peace, knowing that all the moments were valuable or instructive.

There is something both beautiful and confusing about encountering people from our past — a fleeting moment that seems to pass in the blink of an eye before it fades away. It’s the recognition of each other’s lives, of who we once were and who we still are, while finding happiness with someone new and genuinely celebrating each other’s growth.

As we hugged goodbye, I couldn’t help but reflect on how right he had been back then — that I would eventually find someone I truly deserved, someone better suited for me, and that he would too. It signifies that we have brought so much good into each other’s lives and are now able to move forward with who we’ve become.