Dear _______,

You ended the chapter of first and only dates, mindless hook ups, and drinking myself into slurred words every Friday night. Ending the era of you in my life was the end of the chapter that was supposed to be a fresh start. Now I’m starting a new book completely, with the torn pages from the past. You were a heartbreak and lesson.

Now that I'm in college and outside my hometown bubble, I see how lucky I really was. Don't get me wrong, I knew I was lucky to have you, but it's different now. Freshman boys—they're all savages. Granted, you were once one of those monsters, but thank God I didn't know you then.

I talk to a lot of new girls who all have rifts with their exes. I can confidently say that isn't the case with us. You never tried to control me or change who I am. I appreciate that more than you'll ever know. It sounds like a given, being yourself in a relationship and being loved for it. But it seems more often than not that conformity with each other is a common theme. Our differences played as strengths instead of opposing forces.

Thank you for teaching me what being with someone is about. Contrary to popular belief, it isn't about finding someone who completes you. Being in a relationship is about finding someone whose features compliment your own. It's creating a balance of personality. It's not being dependent on each other but rather being each others biggest fans. So thank you, for always doing exactly what you had to.

XOXO