A Private Goodbye (never sent)

I cared for you more than I meant to.

You reminded me of a younger version of myself — loving fully, recklessly, honestly.

You woke something in me that had been quiet for too long, and for that, I don’t hate you.

But I also can’t keep carrying this anymore.

I see now that what I felt wasn’t just about you — it was about what I’d lost in myself, what I longed for, and what I was aching to feel again.

You were a mirror. A reminder. But you are not my future.

I release you now.

Not because what we shared was meaningless — but because I deserve to be whole again.

I hope you find peace in your life.

I will find peace in mine.

And this is my final goodbye — not to you, but to the story that no longer belongs to me.