To the boy who destroyed me,

As weird as this may sound, thank you. Thank you for coming into my life four years ago. Thank you for wrecking my entire world. Thank you for putting me through physical, emotional and verbal abuse. Thank you for shattering my heart by constantly cheating on me. Thank you for telling me you loved me so I would come back. Thank you for acting like everything was OK (for a few weeks) and then showing your true colors time and time again. Thank you for showing me that I wasn’t loved or appreciated. Thank you for the dumb choices you caused me to make causing me to destroy my reputation. Mostly, thank you for showing me that you were not what I needed in my life.

I say thank you for all of these things because even though I was broken, empty, torn and alone by worldly means, I got to discover who I really am. I did plenty, probably too much running during the time you were in my life, but once that was over I was determined to reestablish myself. My first step was changing schools, and as much as it hurt it was ultimately the greatest thing I ever did. I got involved again, I made new friends, I was happy. Then I came running back into the arms of Christ which is where I should’ve been in the first place, but when you’re 15 and a boy is telling you that you’re pretty and that he loves you, you’re going to believe it (yes, that was a T-Swift reference).

God wrapped me up and held me close. It took time to heal, in fact, I’m still healing. Some days are still hard, but I know I’m not alone anymore and I never have to feel that way again. I’m forever grateful for the crap you put me through because I learned to stop letting people walk all over me. I also learned how I should’ve been treated all along, and I found that. I’m happy, I’m healing, but I’m OK with that because at least I know that a strong young woman came out of a really big mess. I'm not afraid anymore.

I'm prepared to continue my life, my happy life, without any trace of evidence that you were ever a part of it. I'm prepared to help girls out of this situation because no girl deserves what you put me through, not even if they were my worst enemy. I'm going to continue holding onto God, healing and being happy because I will never let you or any man destroy me ever again. Thank you for finally letting me go and for realizing that I could do better, my boyfriend and I appreciate it. I wish you nothing but the best, and I hope you get what you deserve.

Sincerely,

The girl who isn't scared