Though Eric Bigger was sent home on Monday’s season finale of “The Bachelorette” by Rachel Lindsay, he’s not pessimistic. “For me, a lot of things are up,” Bigger said in an interview with The Baltimore Sun on Monday.

The Baltimore native made it to the final three suitors on this season of ABC’s “The Bachelorette” before Texas lawyer and Bachelorette Lindsay gave him an emotional farewell. Lindsay gave Bryan Abasolo, a 37-year-old chiropractor, the final rose and accepted Abasolo’s proposal at the end of the episode.

Bigger, who grew up in Reservoir Hill and now lives in Los Angeles, told The Sun that Lindsay helped him relax, enjoy life and to be himself. “She challenged me in a different way,” he said. “We created magic.” The experience challenged Bigger, who said he felt “uncomfortable” with giving up control over his love life. “I like to call the shots,” he said, “but I had to learn how to just fall back and let someone else do the planning.”

Bigger took Lindsay to Baltimore for a “hometown” date — which he said he did get to plan. The couple spent the day playing basketball (Bigger played for City College and Howard Community College) and meeting Bigger’s family. “[Rachel] loved it. She felt at home,” he said.

— Danielle Ohl