If you are wondering how to forget someone who was once a beautiful part of your life, the answer is — you don’t.

You don’t try to sanitize your experience, go numb or cut out the pain.

You don’t downplay it. You don’t try to sweep it under the rug or hide it away.

Letting go of someone you thought would be in your life forever is difficult.

Sometimes, no matter how much love is there, you have to lay it down. You have to walk away. You have to accept that sometimes you get too big for it, or you want different things, or you cannot pour yourself out for it any longer.

And that is okay.

But if you managed to find someone who cared for you, who saw you, who heard all of the horrible things in your life that haunt you and still loved you — that is special. You shouldn’t forget that. You should be thankful.

Be thankful that you got to feel that way about someone.
Be thankful for the way they cracked your heart open.
Be thankful that they saw you in ways you didn’t always see yourself.
Be thankful that you took a leap towards connection instead of playing it cool.
Be thankful that you unhinged your ribcage, opened yourself up, and let your heart out.
Be thankful for all of the nights (and mornings!) you got to wrap your limbs with theirs.
Be thankful for the way they challenged you or calmed you.
Be thankful that you found this person, in a world of billions.
Be thankful that you got to dive into your soul with them.

Be thankful, and walk away with grace.

Walk away with gratitude. Walk away knowing that you felt something, that you experienced something, a lot of people haven’t, and in that way — you were changed.

Believe in the person you are becoming.

Love is not meant to be possessed. It is meant to be felt.

Be proud of yourself for feeling so deeply.

Appreciate that moment in time, even if it was fleeting, and let that love go.