We went through a lot together. A lot.

You were there for me when literally no one else was. Besides Jesus, of course.

You could have thrown your hands up and said, "Forget it all!" multiple times, but you didn’t. That really does say a lot about you.

In no way am I writing this to bash you. I only wanting to thank you.

Thank you for being there,

For having patience with me when it was super tough,

For teaching me how to build the "perfect fire,"

For explaining Biblical things to me that I struggled to understand,

For encouraging me to do my best in all that I do,

For introducing me to some pretty awesome people,

For showing me new things,

For loving to explore just like me,

For going on spontaneous weekend trips that would require you to get up super early to drive wherever I was,

For laughing at my lame jokes, and

For accepting me for me.

I honestly could go on and on for days, but I'll stop there and just say... Thank you for all of the times and memories that we shared and made together. I will forever cherish them. You will forever hold a special place in my heart.

And as silly as it may sound, I want to thank you for breaking my heart--for being a jerk to me and showing me what I didn't need. Because of that, I am the person I am today, and I learned so many things from it.

You are a great person. You were a great boyfriend. You had flaws, so did I.

Since the "break up," I've learned that you need to cherish times with friends. Appreciate what you have while its yours. Not to make such a big deal out of minor things. Don’t react out of anger. Most importantly, don’t give all of your time and energy to a boy. Make time for friends. Don’t let a girl or boy have that much reign in your life because when it does eventually end, you're going to be left there wondering what you need to do.

So again, thank you.

To the girl or boy reading this, don't spend every second with the person you're dating. Make time for your friends and family because they will all be there for you long after the relationship is over. If the person you're with doesn't treat you right, end things with them. You deserve to be treated well and with respect. If you're in a relationship now, be careful with how you treat each other. And if things don't work out, remember that it's not the end of the world. Life goes on!