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i hope i'll always love you in some way,
even if it's not the in way we started
the new year.

the past six months have been so amazing.
i could never thank you enough for making 
them that way.

you showed--show?  what exactly is the right tense?--me
that i could--can--be loved.
really truly loved.
     and by someone as perfect as you,
   no less.

i can't tell you how much that means to me.

none of this is your fault.
don't worry about me.
i'm not hurt.
       how could i be hurt when i know you?

i'm hopeful
that maybe--just maybe--in a few years
you'll still be around.

maybe.

and if you meet someone else,

she'll have to be nothing short of an angel

to deserve you.

i grew.  i'm growing.

you grew.  you're growing.

sometimes growing hurts.

   but whatever we do, let's do it together.

--7.8.17