it's so hard to do, but i simply have to...

"You may remember all the good times you had, the special way you greeted each other. You close your eyes and you can almost feel him next to you. Former spouses or love partners can become larger than life. We tend to remember only the good. We put our former partner on a pedestal. No mere mortal could ever live up to those standards so we hold on to the past. You may dream that one day you will open the door and your former lover will be standing there pledging his undying love to you.  We may have made a promise consciously or unconsciously long ago to another that keeps us from letting go.
Letting go is acknowledging the loss of many dreams including: growing old together or the loss of not having children or grandchildren together. Letting go requires us to face reality, to see both our ex and ourselves as we really are, our flaws, our imperfections, and our humanity. For many this is just too painful. Rebound relationships can be particularly hard to let go of. You met at a time when you were particularly vulnerable and somehow gave much of the job of your healing to your partner. When the rebound relationship fails you feel devastated." -Ezine [this really helped]