To the girl who knows better,

He’s cute, and charming, and the easiest, or most comfortable, or most convenient thing to fall into. He calls you beautiful from time to time. He’s easy-going and fun. He might even tell you he loves you. But what else does he really do?

Does he ever look at you and just smile because he’s just so happy to be with you that he can’t and doesn’t want to hide it?

Does he really listen in a way that lets you know he really wants to? Does he value and respect you enough to do that? Does he love how complicated your mind can be and want to know what’s going through it? Or does he just stare at his phone or a video game or the TV, or change the subject when you want to talk about something that’s bothering you or important to you?

Does he tell you goodnight and goodmorning in a way that makes you happy?

Does he treat you with kindness? Does he do his best to control his temper, or to comfort you when you’re upset, or to always end the argument by making sure you know how much he cares? Or are you reading all of these things wishing he did a single one of them?

You don’t want to be alone, but you know you can’t honestly justify being with him for any other reason. You know your family and friends see it. They’ve warned you. But you wanted to follow your heart and prove them wrong. Now, your heart feels a little bit broken because you realize maybe it was wrong. You realize it knows and it wants better.

So, go get it. Stop waiting on him to end it. Stop worrying about how mad he is going to be when you end it. Stop being afraid of being on your own. Pray, and walk away.

And then don’t date the first guy that comes along, or the second, or the third. Then wait. Wait and find the guy that can’t stop smiling when he’s with you. Wait and find the guy that talks to you about everything under the sun and wants to know everything about you. Wait and find the guy that never quits acting like it’s month one and he’s falling in love with you. Wait and find the guy that doesn’t just want to fight and make up, but wants the fights to make the two of you better together. Guard your heart and wait for the guy who understands that if he wants to hold a place in it he has to be willing to guard it for you too.

They say when you know you know. When you know better, you know better, too.