Dear You,

This letter has been written over and over in my head. Sometimes angry and spiteful, other times somberly filled with regret. As time went on it became more of a thank you letter. Either way you were a learning experience. While we did not end up together, I know you will always be there for me. Our relationship was something that I will truly never forget.

You made me believe in love, while it we were nothing but short lived, in the long run you made me love myself. Hearing someone say "I love you" creates a sense of worth that you never knew you craved. Thank you for helping me believe in myself and thank you for knowing that I was worth the love of another human being. I don't think you ever realized why the things you did and said helped. Everything you did unintentionally boosted me up.

Thank you for the love that hurt so bad towards the end. Saying goodbye to someone who you have developed strong feelings for, is heart breaking in any sense.

Thank you for all the good memories, the ones I get to keep and think about forever. Forever will they make me smile while I'm walking down the street as something makes me think of you. The love songs, the places we used to go and just talk for hours, the heartfelt, cheesy quotes.

First loves are a time for innocence. You don't think anyone would ever be unfaithful after feeling like this, or even think of leaving. You're content and happy, and you think it will last forever. Like we decided (mutually or not), it did not last forever.

While some people say, "sometimes you're too young to know what real love is", Love is putting someone else's needs over your own. It is smiling and not knowing why seeing one person can give you so much joy. It is when the spark never leaves or gets old. Which is what we had for the time being. Thank you for the ups and downs, teaching me the ropes, and for my first heart break. No matter who ended it, there's always that little empty space for you, my first love. I will always miss you, but not in a needing or wanting way. I miss the pure joy and the way we made one another feel.

I hope you are doing well and that you have found someone who shares your interests, goals, and morals. I hope she (or maybe even he) loves you for you and makes you feel that self-worth. I hope you smile and are doing things that you love. Me? I'll be fine, I'm on my way. On my path, wherever that may take me next.

Thanks for being my first love,

Me