Let me put a couple facts out into the universe about myself. I always talk about how relationships are important to me. Now don’t get all weirded out because I used the word “relationship.” After all, it’s just a word to describe how two people are connected. Anyway, relationships are important to me. I would like to think that I am pretty good at creating and maintaining them. Maybe that is a bold statement, but I know what it’s like to be treated like complete malarkey. I never want people to feel the way that people have made me feel before. Therefore, I take relationships seriously. I also want to make a claim: I love too much. We can debate that statement all day long. Is that really a thing? I also love memories. They are little trinkets I can keep to myself that make me smile, laugh, cry, etc. They mostly make me feel warm and fuzzy inside. Now this all relates, I promise.

Now what does that make for my relationships? I think they are pretty amazing. I have great friends and family. They may be few and far between, but if I need something, you bet I have someone that’s “got it." I have come to realize in the past couple months that those people can be so simple. You may not have known them for long at all, or you may only see them every so often. No matter what, the relationships I create with people mean a lot. With that being said, it is hard for me to let go. I have had to let people go. I think the last time I actively let someone go was when I was in high school. It was the harshest thing I have ever done, and not the best either. It was necessary, but not quite in the way I approached it.

I have had to let things go. When I transferred schools, that was a big task. There was no way I was going to thrive if I was constantly missing my old school and friends. God called me elsewhere and I was going to answer. I had to accept that I was not meant to see that “life” beyond what I experienced up until that point. It was another necessary thing that had to happen. Each and every time I let go a freedom comes with it. Not only do I feel better, but I know I am on a better path to where I need to go and who I need to become. That doesn’t mean it is easy. As I said before, I love memories and will replay them in my head over and over. But letting go doesn’t mean you have to let those go. After all, it was a part of your life. They were a part of your life. I can’t just delete a part of my life, especially coming from a girl who enjoys the journey just as much as the destination (no matter how temporary.)

But sometimes it is hard to let go. I can’t. I come up with all the excuses. I rationalize until I am blue in the face. Point blank: Some people don’t deserve that friendship. Some people don’t deserve to see you thrive. They don’t deserve to know about how you are doing if they do not care or just treat you poorly. And that’s when it’s hard: to let go of someone who doesn’t deserve you. Someone who has played with your emotions so many times you can’t even see the damage he or she has created. Maybe history just keeps repeating itself. That is when it is most important. People who make me a convenient friend don’t deserve to know what is going on in my life. Now I want to take this time to say that forgiveness is important, but toxic people should not stay in your life. Of course I want them to see me thrive and maybe that is selfish. That’s the problem with social media these days. Maybe out of your 500 friends on Facebook not even 20 are genuine relationships. It’s easy to passively be involved or to just be "good friends” because you see what they post. I know that it’s partially my fault because I control what is displayed all over social media.

No matter what, letting go sucks. It really does, but sometimes you just have to move on because it’s for the best. Maybe that person or place had a purpose for a moment in your life. And that is where peace comes from.