Really interesting piece. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this! I would be absolutely horrified if my boyfriend was still in love and reminiscing about an ex. (Granted, he is my first boyfriend, so I have no exes to reminisce about. That probably adds to my sensitivity around the subject.) I think when people do find new love, it should (eventually) surpass any love they had previously. It's really unfair to have a long-term partner while still thinking that a previous relationship with someone else was better, deeper, or more meaningful. If I was with a partner who felt this way, I wouldn't be able to completely let my guard down with them. I would constantly be afraid that they would just go back to the ex eventually, and wouldn't want to put my 100% into the relationship. I really liked the way you unpacked this subject, and especially appreciated the ending.