I could fill this whole page of stories where someone has told either myself or one of my friends that they love them. It's the greatest feeling I have ever experienced, knowing a person you deeply care for, or even love, has the same feelings for you. When you love someone genuinely, with no doubt in your mind, you will feel consumed by this person. You wouldn't have it any other way. They will pop into your head while you're not even thinking of them, just because something reminds you of that person. When you love someone, you are blind to anyone else in the world. No one else will catch your eye when you have a true, genuine love for someone. This person will bring you feelings of comfort, peace, confidence and trust.

My first heart break went a little something like this - he told me he loved me, confessed his feelings for me and held me for hours after the fact. Like he was afraid to lose me. Even after I told him that I felt the same way, if not stronger. Then, a week and a few days later, everything was over. He woke up one morning and decided that he didn't "love" me anymore, he decided to end things with me, giving no explanation. He wasn't honest with me at all that night, I found that out from his best friend who was there to comfort me all because my ex decided that I wasn't worth the hassle anymore, that there wasn't a point in trying, that I didn't matter to him like he had led me to believe.

Now, after some time, I've finally realized that he never loved me. I realized that he only said it to make me happy, which can only be appreciated so much. I was confused and heartbroken at first, to be quite honest, I still am. Because when I said those three small, yet powerful words, I meant them with every fiber in my being. I can confidently say that because I still do love this man that broke me, just not in the same way I did when we first exchanged those words. But, he didn't mean the words that he spoke, not in the way I did at least.

I'm still hurt over what happened, but I'm healing with every single day that passes without his presence. I know that I will always, always have a place in my heart for him. The biggest mistake you can make is telling someone that you love them when you don't mean it. It completely ruins people when they find out the truth.

Don't tell me you love me if you don't mean it because, it filled me with a false sense of security with a person that had never planned on sticking around, it gave me hope that I had found a person worth spending a significant amount of time with, and most importantly, when I realized what you had done, it broke me. I couldn't sleep and when I did manage to let my world fall dark in hopes of getting just a small break from the thoughts in my head, I woke up in tears because I was dreaming about us and what I thought we had or about the awful person you turned out to be. I couldn't bring myself to eat, I felt sick all of the time, I had this pit in my stomach that lasted for weeks. I stopped doing things that were important to me, for fear that I'd come face to face with a painful reminder of you, because I had opened myself up to you and shared those parts of me with you. All the while, you were just happy you were free again, oblivious to the pain that you caused by uttering three small, yet unbearably significant words to the person that would've done anything to keep you happy, because her love was real and yours was not. So, when I say, don't tell me you love me if you don't mean it, I mean it.

I wrote the above three months ago. I know that there are other girls out there that are feeling what I felt those three months ago, and I want them to know that it does get better. Just like everyone tells you. It takes time, it takes acceptance, and most importantly it takes forgiveness.

The time it takes is different for everyone. Some people take longer than others, just like some people get over their situation faster than others. You have to be willing to wait, I mean it when I say that patience is key. Just like me, you'll be likely to face setbacks. You'll see something that reminds you of that special person, and you'll feel like you just got thrown back into the past. It will hurt but, you can get through it. Time really does heal everything.

When I said that it takes acceptance, you have to be willing to accept the fact that the person you gave your everything to, threw it away. You have to recognize the situation for exactly what it was. But, you do not have to do this until you are absolutely ready. This goes back to the time, in time you will be ready, don't rush it.

Forgiveness. I personally feel like this was the hardest part for me. It took so much of my strength to be willing to forgive my ex for what happened between us. I had to put myself into his shoes and realize that it was not the right time for him at all. He was confused. He might have thought that he meant what he said when he told be that he loved me, but everyone can see that he didn't. Even though he made the mistake that broke my heart, I forgave him. There is absolutely no point in holding on to something that happened in the past. Forgiving him helped me let go of the past and move on, no matter how hard it was for me to do.

After all of this time, I am able to know that what happened is behind me and I'm on my way to better things and it'll happen for you too. These things happen all the time and no situation is exactly the same as another, just as no one person heals at the same rate as another. Just remember that going at your own pace is the most important part of moving on. But, you can do it.