Introducing a new segment on Love's A Peach entitled: Letter To My Ex. This column features letters written by myself and other readers to our exes. It gives you a chance to thank, vent, threaten, whatever you need to do. If you'd like to submit a letter to your ex to be published, please email ncdecapres9900@hotmail.com. All postings will remain anonymous, unless you desire otherwise.
Dear High School Sweetheart,
Do you remember me--your high school sweetheart? I sure hope so. I was just reminiscing on how we met. You were the new kid at school, star of the football team, and all around most wanted. So of course, I had to have you. Being a cheerleader, class president, and social butterfly--it was only fitting. After passing each other in the hallway after school, our relationship came naturally. I was in love. Or at least I thought I was. We met in 1997 and I had plans to be your wife by 2000. We'd bring kids into the world by '04 and live happily ever after. I was going to be a lawyer and you would play in the NFL. We would live the life.
In hindsight, it’s a good thing that going off to college put a halt in our plans. While you had all the promise of being a first round draft pick, since 1999 you've been shot multiple times, have shot back, sold drugs, participated in numerous financial scams, and you have 2 children by 3 baby mamas. OK. Just joking. Only 2 BMs.
We had some great times though. We did the typical high school dating like going to the movies and the bowling alley; skipping school to go to the nearest amusement park; and making out in the back of my 1998 Nissan Stanza. We went to prom together and to family gatherings together. Since I graduated a year before you did, I had to leave town for college. That’s when the long distance relationship started. As you well know--that didn’t last very long.
All the college men took my attention and I quickly stopped returning your calls and eventually broke up with you on Christmas Eve 2000 outside of your sister's house. Bad timing, I know. What's great though is that we remain good friends to this day--starkly incompatible and unequally yoked, but good friends nonetheless. I still pray for your safety and hope that you can one day have a better life with one of those BMs (one of which was my best friend in high school, dammit!)
Sometimes I wonder why you still hold a special place in my life. I think its because high school sweethearts teach us a lot. You taught me the ABCs of dating. Its your high school sweetheart that first gives you those butterflies in your stomach. Before you, I never really knew what it felt like to be attracted romantically to someone of the opposite sex. At the time that infatuation felt like love. Whatever it was, it’s the seed that has been able to grow over time into the love that I now share with my significant other. You also taught me how to establish boundaries. This is the first time in life that sexual feelings are raging through your body and you actually have someone that you could experiment with. Its at this point in your life that you start to establish some serious morals about who you are and what you are willing to give to a relationship at different stages. You taught me that true love waits, not always for marriage, but it waits.
Most importantly, you taught me that your lover should also be your friend. In reality, that’s what we were. We were too young to really feed a relationship. We were just best friends trying to "act" like we were in a relationship. There's really nothing wrong with that though. Because of you I now look for men that can not only love with me, but laugh with me. When I think of you I think of the simple things in life. Inexpensive gifts and dates, phone calls, and simple arguments. Its important to remember that the simple things matter, as sometimes its easy for me to get wrapped up in my intense career, much more serious disagreements, expensive travelling and life altering decisions. When we were together we had our whole lives in front of us. We dreamt big. I learned to do it then and still do to this day.
You laid the rock in the foundation that is my love life. I'll always appreciate you for that.
Sincerely,
Your High School Sweetheart
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