Open Letter to....everyone I've dated, basically.

Okay kids, a few facts about me you didn't know:

-Whoever you are, chances are that whatever you didn't feel for me--affection, love, respect, etc--I likely felt for you at some point, on some level. Just because you don't share my feelings doesn't make them any less real or significant. So for the record, asshole, saying things like "We hooked up, get over it" is not only heartless, it's stupid. Actually, scratch that. YOU are stupid

- I am funny, smart, ambitious. I have an AMAZING family, and AMAZING friends, some of whom know you, ALL of whom know I deserve better. It literally breaks my heart to think about how my daddy, my aunt, my younger cousin, my MOTHER would react if they could ever see the way you've treated me. The way I LET YOU TREAT ME. All of you. What would they think of the girl they see as so strong, independent, confident, if they knew she was dependent on you for validation for so, so long? I don't want to know, because the truth is, underneath it all, I am still those things, and I need those people more than ever to remind me of that.

-I still believe there is something better out there for me. Baby steps get on the elevator, baby steps get on the bus, and baby steps put the pieces back together. And that's when it will happen for me.

-I, for God's sake, am not a toy. It's too late for some of you to take this knowledge to heart (if you have one) where I am concerned, but try and remember this in your future endeavours. I speak of women in general when I say that nothing is replaceable nor easily repaired. Please, please, please be careful.

Ok, that is all. I feel better.