We all have someone we can’t imagine living our life without. This person is our go-to, our ride or die, our very best friend. You would do anything for them without hesitation. This person makes you the best version of yourself. They push you in all areas of your life to be better and to continually improve. The relationship you have with this person in your life is more than likely your best and, sometimes, your most difficult relationship. There are serious highs and lows that can send you into a rollercoaster range of emotions that you simply can’t explain. Just like in every relationship, there are arguments and disagreements. The two of you usually work those arguments out, but sometimes they just get to be too much. You don’t let go when it gets to be too much though. You keep going back. You both keep fighting for the relationship or friendship. You sometimes sweep your differences under the rug and keep going. You honestly believe you’re doing the right thing.
Suddenly, one day, you two are riding in a truck down the road at 9 p.m. trying to explain what you're feeling and your frustrations and getting nowhere. You two drive around and realize that you've both been struggling for so long with unresolved feelings and that it’s almost too late to fix what you both have broken. The more you two talk about what you're feeling, the more out of control things seem. New information comes to light, and at the end of the conversation, you both feel a little lost. Do you keep fighting or do you just stop? Does this mean the two of you will cease to be anything at all? The thought of that might send you into a panic because this person means so much to you. You can’t imagine not having them in your life at all, but is that what it is going to come? On one hand, you want to keep them a major part of your life. But on the other hand, you realize that you both are hurting too much to keep going at the rate you are. You realize that you have both been hurting each other for a while, and you are hit with a whole new type of pain.
The pain you now feel stems from the thought of doing anything to hurt someone that means so much to you. It’s very evident that you love the person. You love them more than you’ve ever loved anyone, and you would never want to do anything to hurt them. Everything you have done since you met them was done with their happiness at least in the back of your mind. You two have fought for so long to keep the relationship going and strong. You have fought until you can’t fight anymore. Now, you sit back and realize that maybe the fighting was doing more harm than good. You have kept going back and returning to the same problems and same arguments, feeling the same things. For the longest time, you thought that you were the only one hurting, but now you look into your person's eyes and see that they have clearly been hurting, too. You see that, by fighting so hard to keep this person a major part of your life, you only did more harm.
The truth is that even the closest relationships need a break sometimes. Emotions are tricky things, and there are times when you just have to stop for a brief moment so you can realize what you are truly feeling. Instead of pushing forward, sometimes, you just have to stop, reflect and then regroup.
I am here to tell you that it’s okay to take a small break and to let go of your person for a little while. At the very least, you have to loosen your grip. It sounds so cliche and I’m sure as you're reading this, you are going to roll your eyes and think, “You don’t know what I’ve been through.” But when you let go of something you truly care about, it will come back to you if it reciprocates. You love your person. You know you don’t want to hurt them anymore. You realize that you’re hurting them and that you have to let go so that they can be happy. You have to let go for a little while so you both can realize what is best for your relationship. Space is a good thing. Letting go helps you both realize what you have, and then helps you decide if that's what you actually want. Believe it or not, space can actually make your relationship stronger.
It will be hard for a while, and it will hurt wondering if your person will ever return to your life. You will think about them every day for a while, and you will wish you could still tell them every detail about your week. Just know that it will make you stronger. It will make your person stronger. It might even make your relationship stronger. What is important now is that you both take a step back and let each other go so you’re no longer hurting each other. You have to take a step back so you can both heal. It will be okay. The universe has a funny way of bringing the people meant to be in your life back to you. Keep having faith that your person will return to you and that you will both be stronger for letting go. It’s well past time to give your heart a break.
1 Corinthians 13:8; “Love never fails.”
Joel 2:25; "God can restore what is broken and change it into something amazing. All you need is faith."
