We’ve all probably had an “almost relationship” in our years that we’ve been living. An “almost relationship” is when you are talking to an individual with the intention of eventually dating but end things before you start a relationship. Meghan Trainor even sings about them, "You were so sweet when we're kissing / But there's something I'm missing / Baby, there's no chemistry." This is one of the worst things about modern dating, and I absolutely hate it. These “almost relationships” can cause emotional stress on either individual involved because one person will be putting their all into it while the other is only halfway in and decides a month later that they only want to be friends. These can also lead to one of the individuals developing trust issues because they will begin to trust the other and think that a relationship will come out of it, only to have them betray them and say, “Just kidding, I’d rather just be friends,” or even just begin to completely ignore the other. I’ve experienced several “almost relationships” in my 20 years on this Earth, and let me tell you, they’re all different and they don’t get any easier. In my experience, I’ve been one to develop trust issues and even scared to ever pursue another guy after this. All of this just made me stronger and continues to help me grow into the woman that Christ has planned for me to be.

So to my almost relationships,

I want to start by saying thank you. Thank you for giving me the little bit of time I got with you and for everything you did for me in that time. Thank you for cuddling me at night when I was sad, or even just because we were both cold. Most importantly, thank you for helping me realize I was about to settle for less than I deserved with you and that you weren’t the one for me. Lastly, thank you for ending it before either of us become too emotionally involved.

After you ended things, I realized that being with you would have caused me to give away a little bit of myself, and that’s not what I should do. I was too blinded by the sweet things you did or the talks saying, “Of course I want to date you someday,” to see that this wasn’t meant to be. No, I’m not bitter about any of it. You just helped me find my true self and helped me see what I truly deserve in a relationship. There were little things about you that would have caused us not to work, from our beliefs on religion all the way to where we want to live after we’re done with school. It may seem minuscule, but we’re at a point in our lives where these things matter because we’re dating for marriage and not just for fun.

I don’t believe at all that you wasted my time in any way, because I did care for you and had fun with you while we had the chance. I may have even gotten to genuinely stay friends with you rather than you saying, “Let’s stay friends” and never speaking to each other again. This “almost relationship” was just another person to get through until I find the one person I’m meant to spend the rest of my life with. It’s just one stop on this crazy ride that we call life. Once again, thank you for helping me get closer to the one I spend the rest of my life with and helping me continue to discover who I am. I’m truly grateful for my “almost relationship” with you.