The Moment I Realized You’re No Longer The Person I Fell In Love With

After a couple of months of having no contact with each other, I decided to see how you’re doing. I was nervous when I hit “send,” but I managed to casually start off with a,

“Hello.”

I was feeling well and excited not until you gave me your unexpected response.

I never realized how a word or two could deeply affect you until you said,

“Who’s this?” 

I was speechless. Your response left me in confusion. But mostly, I was hurt.

How come you didn’t recognize me?

At first, I shrugged it off. I thought that perhaps you were just messing with me, so I went along with it. I tried giving you hints hoping you would recognize me, but you’ve mistaken me for a different person who you haven’t spoken to in years but apparently, lives in the same city as me. How come you remembered them but not me?

I let out a sad, heavy sigh before I responded,

“Oh, you must have already forgotten about me.”

Then that’s when you recognized me. How strange.

I wish I just stopped there—called it a night, dropped the conversation, and deleted your number, but I didn’t. I admit, I was slightly hoping to have a short yet meaningful conversation with you since we did have quite a history together. But I was wrong, I shouldn’t have gotten my hopes up. I got the unwanted outcome.

You treated me like a stranger

And that’s when I realized,

You’re no longer the person I fell in love with

Sometimes, I regret sending that message. If only I didn’t make the first move, like I always do, perhaps I wouldn’t have another melancholic night because of you.

But if I didn’t send you a message, would I still be foolishly holding on to you?

Sadly, yes.

I deeply loved and cherished the person I know you were, and I wasn’t prepared to see your sudden change. So when things completely went downhill between us after I went back from a trip overseas a year ago, and I felt you slowly drifting away from me, I was heartbroken. I didn’t want to hold on to you anymore after you left me stuck in a limbo phase for a very long time. When I found out you’ve already moved on shortly after we last saw each other, I was devastated. I struggled to move on.

Back then, we didn’t let distance get in the way of our bond. But as time flew, the distance between us grew bigger and bigger, until we no longer recognized each other.

I know there’s nothing more that I could do to rekindle the bond we used to have because of this huge gap between us.

You said,

“I don’t know you anymore.”

And right then and there, my heart was shattered.

Again

Although surprisingly I didn’t break down in tears, I knew a part of me died. 

Again

But that’s when it hit me. The boy I love a year ago, whose sweet, warm embrace felt like home, is no longer the same boy I just spoke to. 

In life, sometimes we have to go through pain in order to learn a valuable lesson. Behind every painful experience there is a promising lesson we shouldn’t overlook. Because there are situations in life that we repeat over and over again until we learn from them.

And I did.

I finally learned to let go of situations beyond my control, and to walk away from things that hinder my self-growth.

My beloved, I love you, and I know you will always have a place in my heart. But it’s time for me to move on.

Because you’re already a memory

And the strong and genuine connection we had when we first met is long gone and forgotten

The moment I realized you’re no longer the person I fell in love with, I knew it’s time to walk away, leave the past behind, and continue to move forward to whatever the future holds for me.