Old Flame-d

 I've been wondering about how people in relationships cheat after some time. Is it out of boredom? Sense of adventure/challenge?

I forgot one of the difficult reasons: there was a flame. 

Rekindling an old flame is a temptation, but there's that level wherein the flame was never really put out.  Imagine when you had to separate not because you fell out of love but because of circumstances.  The feelings are still there, but just put aside.  Then imagine you two crossing paths again.

A close friend shared recently about how an old flame entered the "circle" again (i.e., they had to professionally interact every working day).  The whole thing was somehow unthinkable for me (I can't really wrap my head around it as of now and accept it as "cheating"), since I regarded my friend as one of those who won't break any rule at all and is happily in love with the partner.  And yet, somehow, they crossed the line.  

Let me clarify though that it's purely emotional, nothing physical supposedly happened.  But it raises the question, is emotional cheating worse since there are feeling involved, rather than releasing your physical urges on a one-night-stand?

Worse, the partner of the old flame found out.  Or maybe that's a good thing, because who knows if they stopped otherwise?  And as the goody-goody person that my friend is, my friend came clean to my friend's partner (and since the partner is such an angel, this reportedly did not affect their relationship).  

Okay, that also raises a question if one should actually come clean? Old titas actually warned our younger selves before that one should NEVER come clean to the partner as it signifies that one wants to end the relationship.  Something like: why come clean if you don't intend to break up? You will just hurt your partner.  Better suffer in guilt personally than to involve your partner.

All's well, as reported by my friend, who said the whole thing happened a couple of years ago and everyone's amicable.  I said, not necessarily, as I remember chiding my friend when the old flame returned in our midst about how my friend seemed to have a certain glow.  The glow's not gone--maybe not as bright, but still there.

Still there.