I thought we were so in love. I was young and naïve. I was “that girl” that thought we were going to get married and live happily ever after. You were everything I could have ever wanted.

When you did the unthinkable and put me in a position where I was forced to choose, I chose myself. I chose to leave you because I knew that you had a lot of growing up to do. I always told myself that if we were really meant to be, we would find our way back to each other.

When I broke up with you, you were “heartbroken.” I was devastated, even though it was my own decision. However, unlike you, I put my time in effort into bettering myself. I focused on changing negative attributes of mine. I focused on school and work. You decided to get with another girl just a few short weeks after we broke up. It’s funny how I broke up with you because I thought you needed time to focus on bettering yourself, and you agreed, but yet you quickly formed another relationship.

The question that quickly made its way into my mind is one that I still think about to this day, one year later: Did he ever truly love me, or was he just in love with the idea of love? For you to get over someone in a heartbeat that you dated for over a year tells me that the latter is true.

You never loved me. You loved how I made you feel less lonely. You loved how you always had someone to hang out with. You loved how I paid for literally everything we did so you could spend your money on pointless things. But did you ever really love me for me? You are so gullible and so naive that you will literally “fall in love” with any girl who gives you the time of day.

As for me, I was truly in love with you. It took me almost a year to feel like I was ready to date again. But I do owe a lot to you. Because of you, I am picky in who I choose to date. I refuse to date anyone who doesn’t push me to by my best. I refuse to date someone who doesn’t strive to make his own self the best person he can be. I refuse to date anyone who doesn’t think about how his personal decisions will not only affect me and our relationship, but also everyone surrounding him. So thank you for making me see my own worth and what I deserve in a man. It took a while for me to realize that everything happens for a reason, and a lesson can always be learned in any heartbreak, but I am so glad I did. Now, I am happier than I have ever been.