There comes a time in some relationships when, for reasons no one can quite explain, one partner finds their feelings for the other simply fading away. Regrettably, that is just what befell Mark. Until he turned seventeen, Mark had never embarked on a romantic relationship. Despite being rather popular with the girls at school, he set his sights firmly on self-improvement and his studies, fuelled by his aspiration to become a surgeona calling that demanded his full focus and dedication.
It was only when he went up to university, following his mother’s gentle encouragement, that Mark began to show any real interest in courting. Eventually, he met a young lady who truly caught his attention. Her name was Emily, and she happened to be in the same tutorial group as Mark. She was taken aback when he struck up a conversation, as he was not known for speaking with girls, preferring the company of his close male friends. Still, they struck up a conversation, and Mark took the bold step of inviting her to dinner at a local pub, which she accepted gladly. In time, their friendship blossomed quite naturally into a romance, and they made it clear to everyone that they were indeed a couple.
Mark’s mother was overjoyed, her longstanding worry that her son might never find companionship finally put to rest. Yet, not long after they donned their academic gowns at graduation, Emilys affections seemed to drift awaya sad but familiar tale. When Mark learned of her change of heart, he was deeply wounded and found it difficult to recover. Though he had grown into a man, this was the first occasion in his life when he truly experienced the sting of heartbreak. Now, looking back from the vantage of years gone by, he remembers it as the moment when he first discovered how tender the human heart can be.
