At some point in your life, there is a very high chance you will have your heart broken. Whether that be from a boy, a girl or something other than that it's going to suck. While that isn't really helpful, it's true and even more so, it's important.

When I was 18, I found myself falling in love with a boy I barely knew. Little did I know at the time he would teach me so much. Remembering all the moments we had, pulling little details out that taught me how to better myself, be a good girlfriend and become a confident woman is something I will be forever grateful for. Along with this, he taught me something so extremely valuable that no one else could teach me — heartbreak.

While the story is long and complicated, it's something that I needed to experience. In fact, it's something I'm still working on experiencing now.

The short version goes something like this: At 18 I met a boy, I found myself falling for him and one day I realized I was fully in love. With this came the risk of being hurt yet, I had accepted that.

He taught me love, but he also taught me this fact; not all stories have happy endings.

In my dad's driveway, leaning against my car I looked the first person I ever loved in the eyes as he told me he didn't want to do this anymore. I crumbled inside, but that wasn't the end of our story.

Current day, and our story still hasn't fully ended. Five breakups and a few drunk texts that led us back together have come and gone. I went from loving this man with all my heart to lusting after him like nothing else in the flip of a calendar page. I told him straight up the second time we broke up, "thank you for letting me fall in love with you, taking my virginity and for fucking me enough to make me forget it all." He had become a friend with benefits I never knew would be such a large portion of my life.

Now out of my life, he's just a memory — both good and bad. The lessons he taught me stuck with me, and without him, I wouldn't have been able to grow into the person I am. So to that boy, that you for breaking my heart.