I would like to start this off by saying thank you. I used to hate you for all the pain you put me through and all the tears I cried over you. I spent a lot of days thinking about what happened between us and blaming you. But now I see you have made me who I am today and for that I am grateful. You were a blessing in disguise, and God brought you into my life for a reason.
Thank you for teaching me that people I meet in life will hurt me, but I will recover. You taught me that a broken heart can be mended and that I am strong enough to overcome any obstacle that I am thrown. Through this pain, I have found true meaning in Isaiah 66:9, "'In the same way, I will not cause pain without allowing something new to be born,' says the Lord. The pain you brought has only made me stronger, and the sadness I once felt has only made the happy times all that much sweeter.
Thank you for helping me learn to stand up for myself. I hold Deuteronomy 31:6 closer to my heart now, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." I used to be too timid and scared of people disliking me, so I did what pleased the people around me thinking that if I gained their approval maybe I would find my own. But now I stay true to who I am and my values even if not everyone is pleased by that. I know now that not everyone in this world will like me, and that is absolutely OK.
Thank you for showing me how I do not deserve to be treated. I do not deserve to be told I am not good enough, because I am. Because of you, I know that everyone deserves somebody who will treat them with love and respect. I have found people who do that for me and I refuse to allow people to stay in my life if they do not. You brought me to 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."
We cannot change our past, but I hope you find happiness and love in your life. I am sorry for everything that happened between us because I know the blame never truly rests with solely one person and that there are things I could have and probably should have done differently. I cannot change what happened between us, but I am happy to have the memories (good and bad) and the lessons you taught me.
