To my ex-boyfriend,

This is an open 'thank you' letter for all the lovely things you taught me while we were dating. Three years is a long time to know someone, and I wouldn’t trade a single laugh or fight with you for anything.

You allowed me to grow and find myself, so I wrote this to thank you.

Thank you for making me feel beautiful—a feeling I carry with me every single day. Thank you for sending me all those texts telling me I looked perfect. For every time I walked downstairs and your mouth curved into a huge smile, thank you. You taught and helped me be confident, love myself and love the way I look.

Thank you for listening to me. Actively listening to people is an increasingly hard task for many young adults these days, but you always gave me your full attention. Each time we had a conversation, your eyes were glued to mine. You'd come into a conversation with an open heart and a willingness to listen, never interrupting me. You showed me that in order to be a good friend, partner or companion you must listen.

Thank you for teaching me exactly what it means to love without boundaries. To dance like a maniac, cry when you're hurt, laugh uncontrollably, use your words when you’re upset and never take yourself too seriously.

Some people stumble into our life stories, not knowing how long they’ll stay. Some become paragraphs in our stories, others are merely notes in the margins. But you were multiple chapters of my story, and I am eternally grateful I wrote so much of my story with you.

Though these last chapters have been unforgettable, they are unfortunately coming to a close. We both get to begin a new separate story, and I want you to know I read our chapters often and look back on them fondly. We had a long and lovely story, and I am excited to see what our prospective futures hold.

Missing you a little less each day,

Your adoring ex-girlfriend