If I decided to send this to you, where would I send it? When I think of writing the whole address on the envelope I am paralyzed. It's too painful to think of you in the same place with your life going on in the same way, minus me. And to think of you not there, you somewhere else but I don't know where that is, is worse.
In Alice Munro's "The Love of a Good Woman," the speaker grapples with profound emotional turmoil when considering reaching out to someone significant in their life. The act of writing an address becomes a source of anxiety, as it symbolizes the painful separation between them. The thought of the recipient moving on with their life without the speaker is overwhelming, reflecting a deep sense of loss and longing.
The internal conflict intensifies when contemplating the possibility of that person being in a different location. The uncertainty of their whereabouts adds to the speaker's distress, highlighting the complexity of their feelings. This struggle exemplifies the difficulty of maintaining connections after a separation, showcasing the vulnerability and heartache that come with longing for someone who has moved on.
