Leaving a Relationship.

Question:

Dear Deepak, How do you feel about someone leaving a relationship after many years (16 to be exact)? Is this a letdown to the universe to be a part of something for so long and then make the decision to leave? Both partners are monogamous and the breakup is not for another person; it is for me. In spite of my love for my partner, I feel that if I don’t leave this relationship that I will never reach my potential. I have never felt spiritually supported by her and though she claims to be committed to her own spiritual growth, she makes no real effort and has many times chosen to behave/react with judgment, disdain, superiority, and the like. She also has many good qualities, but for much of the past 2 years, her fear-based behaviors have dominated and I feel she is someone else, someone I do not want to spend the rest of my life with, even after all this time, even knowing her potential. My own fears have prevented me from moving on, but that is a thing of the past. I am committed to continuing the path of my spiritual journey and much as I would like to witness my partner’s spiritual development (I am hopeful that she will make it there eventually), I am afraid it may not happen in this lifetime. I don’t want to give up on her, but nor do I want to become stuck. I would like to add that she is content staying as we are, but that requires pretending to be happy.