...thank you for correcting my perspective about relationships.

Thank you for showing me that expectations about relationships are nothing like popular culture depicts them to be. For all the books, the movies, and even the Tumblr posts that portrayed perfect relationships, I forgot they are merely a fantasy. While I didn't expect for us to randomly go on a vacation to a different country, I expected some (seemingly) simple and modest things. I expected you to respect my feelings, to care about me as much as I did for you, and to always support me. I thought my expectations were fairly reasonable, but apparently I asked for too much.

Thank you for showing me that relationships cannot be forced; no matter how much effort one person puts into it, if that effort is not reciprocated by the other, maintaining the relationship is nearly impossible. No matter how meticulously you protect a candle from the wind, even the strongest flame is capable of going out. For a long time it seemed as if everything was going wonderfully, like it was just you and I and nothing could ever interfere with that. Then one day it was as if you woke up and just started to act like you weren't interested anymore, and that candle went out in the blink of an eye.

Thank you for giving me a glimpse of what it means to love someone, but also what it means to be heartbroken. Everyone has a different description of love and what it feels like, but in general it's the feeling of knowing there is someone out there that cares about you like no one else ever has. There were plenty of moments where you made me feel like that, but it just never stuck. That constant uncertainty of whether or not I was feeling love is partly why it hurt so deeply when it ended; it created instant doubt of whether any of it was real, if any of those feelings were genuine.

Thank you for teaching me that I shouldn't give up my friends just because I'm in a relationship. You convinced me there was something wrong with my friends, but now I know that my friends were not the problem, you were. Relationships come and go, but real friends are there with you through the highs and lows, and now I know that any future companion must be accepting of my friends, unconditionally.

And lastly, thank you for all the lively and entertaining moments. For all the inside jokes, the crazy adventures, the timeless memories. You helped show me the pros of being in a relationship and all the benefits of having someone caring immensely about and fully supporting you.

But if you still think I'm holding on to something, you should go and love yourself.