That Love Letter I Never Sent You. 

I know it’s been years since you left, but I still haven’t figured out how to let go of what we had together. The letter I never sent you so many years ago still haunts me every day, reminding me that no matter how much time passes, my feelings will not change. But it’s time to be honest with myself and with you, as painful as that may be. This is the letter I never sent you because I needed to learn how to love on my own before I could ever truly love another person again.

Dear Emma,

My darling girl, you left me two years ago. I didn’t want to give up on us, but you asked me to let you go. It was a long time coming and very hard for both of us. We met when we were just kids and it felt like we knew each other forever even though we were so young. We grew up together and shared everything from our first kiss to our worst fights.

The love letters between us were as passionate as they were playful and as honest as they were gentle. I want to tell you that every day since then, my heart has ached with loving memories of what we had—and what we lost. If only I could say something different...and mean it instead of promising a future that I couldn’t deliver. Why didn’t I tell you?

Because I thought if you loved me more than anything else in your life, it wouldn’t matter. What a stupid mistake: if you love someone enough to know them better than anyone else ever will and still not be able to follow through on loving them, how can their love possibly survive? (It doesn’t.) Your letter is beautiful, Emma. You never received mine because it would have been too painful for either of us to endure.

Always Remember,

One of life’s greatest mysteries is why it’s so hard to say I love you. This is something that people in romantic relationships learn about quickly, but those of us who aren’t typically struggle with it too. Always remember that saying I love you doesn’t just mean opening your mouth and blurting out a few words — instead, it should be a carefully crafted sentence that conveys how much you care for another person and how much they mean to you.

Saying I love you means taking time to think about what kind of words make someone feel appreciated. If nothing else, always know how much you love someone and do everything possible to tell them when they need it most. Never forget: A relationship isn’t truly complete until both partners can express their love verbally. Yes, actions speak louder than words, but no one wants to hear empty promises over and over again — whether they come from a partner or anyone else in your life.

Make sure that every word out of your mouth has meaning attached to it; if not, then don't bother speaking at all! Learning how to love again after losing someone can be difficult and overwhelming...especially if you've never really said I love you before; however, always keep an open mind when trying new things!

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