I still remember the last message I typed.

"I love you... but I can't keep doing this."

My finger hovered over the send button for almost an hour. I wasn't afraid of losing them—I was afraid of losing the future we had imagined together.

People think leaving is easy. It isn't.

Leaving someone you still love feels like tearing out a part of yourself and pretending you're okay.

I stayed through broken promises. I stayed through forgotten birthdays. I stayed through silence that lasted longer than conversations. Every time they hurt me, I found another excuse for them because love made me believe that patience could fix everything.

But one day, I looked into the mirror and couldn't recognize the person staring back at me. I had become someone who accepted less just to avoid being alone.

That was the day I chose myself.

Today, I don't hate them. I don't even regret loving them. They taught me that love is beautiful, but self-respect is priceless.

Would I love them again?

Yes.

Would I still leave?

Every single time.

Because the right person will never make you feel guilty for expecting the love you freely give.