Dear Boy,

I want to start out by saying you definitely have a lot going for you; you are smart, charismatic, and ambitious. I don’t let just anyone into my life, let alone my heart, and you managed to find your way in both. I fell hard for you, but looking back, it turned out to be more of a face plant than a graceful fall.

When we were just starting out things were great. We could talk about our future like there was nothing that could ever get in our way. But as time went on I came to find that there were some things…some big things that would keep us from ever having a future together.

In a healthy relationship, the two people push each other to be the best that they can be. In our relationship, I pushed you and you pushed me backward.You thought that I was too intelligent, too forward thinking, my dreams were too big and that my career goals were far too ambitious. This was made quite clear through your words and through your actions. It honestly terrifies me that I put up with it for so long that I began to believe it. You made me question my character and everything I have ever stood for.

I must say almost had me, you almost changed me. I almost changed who I was as a person to fit the mold you had made for me, but your complacency and array of excuses never quite rubbed off on me. Being the young insecure teenage girl that I was, your words pushed me down but you never broke me, thank God. My independent soul swooped in and saved me and I am here today writing this today. I am more confident that ever in the person that I’ve grown to become and I guess I can give you some credit for that.

I truly hope that one day strong women are no longer a threat to you. I hope that one day you’ll begin to see the beauty and the benefit of having a strong and capable woman by your side, rather than trying to hide her intelligence so it wouldn’t rival your own. I hope that as you learn some of these valuable life lessons that you won’t hurt any other girls in the process.

I know that someday we will cross paths and will have hopefully both made it to where we want to be in life. I just hope to God you don’t tear anyone else down in the process. I’m thankful for the guys that I have dated since our time together that have taught me what it is like to have someone by my side pushing me to chase my dreams. I glad that I have finally learned that I should never settle for a guy and that comfort is never a part of the equation when it comes to love. I am thankful that I have finally learned that being with someone means growing together. So, I felt as though there was no better time than now to reach out and say hey and to let you know that you didn’t break me and that I hope you have grown.