Hello! It's me.

I first want to thank you. Thank you for taking the time out of your life to express an interest in me, an interest that made my heart fuller and my eyes brighter. I will forever hold all the laughs, boba, tears, and secrets that we shared close to my heart, regardless on whether or not our paths diverged on a savory note.

I recognize that the version of me that you knew wasn’t the best, and though I am still not perfect, I want to thank you for putting up with the very imperfect me. Additionally, I want to personally express my gratitude for the things that you taught me. I learned a lot through our friendship, but I experienced immense growth and learning after it ended as well.

When I lost you, it felt like my world came crashing down. All the struggles I had faced up to that point in my life were all washed away by the sheer pain my heart felt with the realization that I could never count on you in the same way again. But I want to thank you for letting me go. It was the best thing that has ever happened to me because each severed tie brought me closer to becoming the person I am today.

Today, I am able to see things at face value. I’m able to feel deeply with the heart, but also not disregard the head as much. I’m able to not only appreciate the people in my life more but also show that appreciation in greater ways than I was previously able to. I see my worth more, too.

My smiles today are the biggest and brightest they have ever been, and I credit you for being one of the many reasons for this. Not because you are no longer in my life, but because I have a far deeper understanding of who I am and what I want in life- a symptom of your absence. Losing you taught me that I do not need to rely on other people for my happiness, because as G-Eazy says, I got me for life. I’m stronger, more independent, more aware of myself and others, and I have a great appreciation for the good and bad in all relationships now.

I want you to know that I genuinely wish the best for you in life. This is not said lightly or without substance, because I truly am the type of person who will still be in tears for you if I knew you were struggling. I would also still do a happy dance if I knew you accomplished one of your goals. I won’t ever stop caring about you; I may not love you anymore, but that does not mean that your life isn’t still important to me.

I want you to be the happiest you’ve ever been, too. I’m not bitter anymore that it can’t be me in your inner circle, cheering you on and hearing about all the great things happening to you. I trust that you have surrounded yourself with people whose company you enjoy and who will be there for you; this makes me happy.

Finally, I just want to remind you that you are a fantastic person. You have your flaws, and I have mine, and maybe that’s why we are no longer in each others’ lives, but this doesn’t mean that you deserve anything less than an excellent life. You were a great

best friend, a great boyfriend, a great mentor — whatever role you played in my life, you served with purpose. Thank you for that.

With love,

Em