Your understanding of each other didn’t change. It simply grew. If there was one thing you could take away from today, it was that shame had no place in your personal lives. And as well as you knew her, there was still a lot you stood to learn from one another. Your instincts were a good starting point, but they were best harnessed as a motivator for the lifelong journey that would be your relationship with her. Conversations wouldn’t always be easy, especially when you’re unaware of what you don’t know. But you were confident that you both had the patience and courage to take that vulnerable step towards the unknown, if ever a doubt presented itself.