A week before you left, I sat on a riverbank in Bethlehem overwhelmed with a nostalgic sadness. Teenagers were walking by laughing, no cares in the world. The river was swiftly flowing, and the music from the festival was softly drifting through the air. That moment felt like the end, but the end of what, I couldn't foresee.

I thought if you ever left I'd feel empty, hollow, like a shell of myself. I thought I'd be broken and lost, finding it impossible to pick up the pieces. But instead, you left, and I found myself, embraced my passion, and shamelessly made myself my top priority.

Little did I know when you left that it was exactly what I needed to become the person I was supposed to be. I began focusing on my future without worrying about whether or not my dreams and aspirations would put a strain on our relationship. I found a new sense of a self-assurance and self-love. I began doing things I felt I was being held back from doing.

Sure, don't get me wrong, I cried at first. I felt devastated. I didn't want to eat and I couldn't get a full night's sleep for days. But after some time passed I realized that us going our separate ways was exactly what I needed. You taught me so many lessons in our time together, but the most important lesson I learned is to know my self-worth, to know what I deserve, and to know when to let go. So thank you. Thank you for our time together. Thank you for the lessons. And thank you for releasing me and helping me embrace myself fully.