We all dream of that perfect person, the perfect life, perfect house and family. We strive to achieve our dream jobs, to marry our true love and to live happily ever after. I have always dreamed of a fantasy life much like the Disney princess movies I watched as a kid. I’ve always hoped for that perfect fairy tale love story that I’ve read about hundreds of times in books. I’ve never experienced that fairy tale romance, but I still believe it exists. I just haven’t met the right person yet. Now, that is not to say I haven’t experienced glimpses of it.

My first year of college is over and I can smile and say it was a successful first year. No, I didn’t date anyone, but I made some great friends. And I got a glimpse at what my fairytale is going to be like. It hurts that I didn’t find the right person yet, but I did want to thank the person that allowed me to glimpse into that fairy tale world. So thank you.

Thank you for talking to me and pursuing me even when I didn’t pick up on the subtle hints. Thank you for that first day we had breakfast. That first weekend we texted. The 20 questions. The late night talks in the hallway until three in the morning. All of it. I wouldn’t trade any of it for anything.

Thank you for the goodnight and good morning messages. Thank you for showing me what it feels like to be pursued and to feel wanted. For showing me that there are actually guys out there that find me pretty, that want to get to know me. Thank you for that confidence boost, for those mornings where I would get up and look in the mirror and smile at myself. Thank you for caring and wanting to talk to me. Thank you for seeming genuinely interested in me and what I had to say. Thank you for sharing your hopes, fears and dreams with me and for listening to mine.

But, I also want to thank you for showing me that I don’t need a guys approval to know that I am beautiful. God made me inside and out and knows exactly how many hairs are on my head. He knows what I am capable of, He knows I have a caring and generous heart for others and I always put others before myself. Thank you for showing me that I do not need acceptance from a guy to be content with myself.

Thank you for my first time experiencing butterflies with someone. Thank you for showing me that my extremely high standards for a guy are not impossible. That there are guys out there that will meet those standards and some that will even go above and beyond. Thank you for showing me that there are guys out there that were raised by queens and know how to make a girl feel like a princess. Thank you for my first bouquet of flowers, for my first dinner date, and my first dance. Thank you for teaching me the difference between a guy and a man, for giving me a mini fairy tale for a night.

But, also thank you for showing me that friendship is a two-way street. That it takes two people to make a relationship work, whether it’s a friendship or more. Thank you for showing me that actions are more important than words. That setting aside time for someone else is crucial. Thank you for showing me the value of making time for someone else, and expressing the importance of setting aside time in a busy schedule to be with that significant person.

While it pains me that you didn’t feel the same way about me, I wouldn’t want to change anything. And I would never want to change myself for you as I wouldn’t want you to change for me. Thank you for showing me the value of staying true to one’s self, to staying pure to one’s heart and not letting others change who you are.

Lastly, I want to thank you for breaking my heart. Thank you for not taking away my first kiss. Thank you for being clear, yet firm when you said you didn’t feel the same way about me as I felt about you. Yes, it was a slap in the face when you said there was someone else, but it was preferred over hiding the truth. Thank you for being understanding when I said I needed space to heal. To move on.

Everyone always says, “Let’s be friends,” after a relationship, but then they slowly fade away and forget one another. While we didn’t have anything more than a friendship, I still want to keep that relationship. I wouldn’t trade anything that happened these past six months for the world. It was an experience that helped me grow, where I learned more about myself than I ever have before.

I guess the whole point of writing this is to thank you. Thank you for so many unforgettable memories. Thank you for so many firsts. Thank you for showing me that I can wait, that there is someone out there that will give me the time I deserve. Thank you for showing me that I deserve someone’s attention and that I can wait for my fairy tale ending.