Walking away from an almost is heartbreaking because your feelings for them were strong – even if they weren’t returned completely. Even if you never ended up getting the official label that you were waiting for. Some people might not understand how you got so attached to someone you never ended up dating, but you feel like you were dating. Your relationship had so many elements of a real relationship. They made you laugh. They comforted you when you cried. They were a real friend. A real rock. Except during the times when they ditched you, leaving you to cry in your bed alone.
Walking away from an almost is heartbreaking because you never had the chance to test your compatibility. You already know that you made good friends, and that you had fun flirting together, but you never got to take it to the next level. You never got to experience what it was like to date them, to wake up next to them, to celebrate holidays and anniversaries with them. You only got a taste of what it was like to date them – and they left you wanting more. But you never received more. You were always stuck waiting, hoping, wondering.
Walking away from an almost is heartbreaking because you never know whether you’re making the right choice. No, you don’t want to waste any more of your precious time on them. But there’s always a chance that you could have become a couple if you stuck around for a little while longer, if you gave them a little more time. After all, that’s why you hung around for so long in the first place. They kept sprinkling crumbs of hope, convincing you that things might change in the future, that you might end up living out your happily ever after. But now that you’re the one to end things, you’re closing the door on that possibility. You’re deciding it’s never going to happen.
Walking away from an almost is heartbreaking because you are giving up more than a friend. You’re giving up a possibility. You’re giving up the future you imagined in your head for such a long time that it started to feel real. You’re giving up the idea that this person was The Person, the one who would give you everything that you’ve ever wanted, the one who would stick with you through thick and thin, the one who would remain in your world for a lifetime.
Walking away from an almost is heartbreaking because you gave them so much of yourself. They might not have returned the favor, but you really tried with them. You put in the effort. You did the hard work – and it didn’t end up paying off. It didn’t get you what you wanted in the end. Even though you bared your soul to them, it didn’t make a difference.
Walking away from an almost is heartbreaking because you cared deeply about this person. It doesn’t matter whether or not you were an official couple because you still got to know them. You still grew attached to them. You still imagined a future with them. They still made a huge impact on your world. It’s never easy to say goodbye to someone that you’ve loved, and an almost is no exception.
