After Being Dumped on Valentine’s, I Learned to Love Myself Better

And respect myself more.

Ashley Broadwater
Hello, Love

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Among daisies on a piece of paper, a Maya Angelou quote says “Let nothing dim the light that shines from within.” #quotes
Photo by Allie on Unsplash

I woke up the morning of Valentine’s Day to his message: “I just don’t think I have enough time to talk to anyone right now I’m sorry.”

Unlike other Tinder relationships that had fallen apart, I felt heartbroken over ours. Not only because he picked the absolute worst day, but also because I was so excited about us. On the more serious side, he gave me hope that I could trust men, even though I’d recently experienced sexual assault. On the less serious, but still meaningful side, his text messages had exclamation points and personality, something I value and believe is hard to find.

When others asked me what I wanted in a relationship, he checked off so many boxes. Meeting him made me feel like I’d found a french fry at the bottom of the to-go bag after thinking I’d finished. He made me feel safe, comfortable and attractive — feelings I hadn’t grown totally accustomed to yet.

If I was a pencil, he was a crossword: black and white, but still engaging. Our relationship seemed so easy, and him so straightforward, but I still enjoyed our conversations in person and over text.

But looking back, I think about the nights he spent drunk and throwing up with boys who praised that. I wonder if he…

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Ashley Broadwater
Hello, Love

Freelance writer on multiple platforms. On Medium: writing tips + relationships. UNC-CH Journalism + Media. Newsletter + more: www.linktr.ee/ashleybroadwater