I have been in love with a man for almost a year now. I finally told him so last night. We are very good friends, so it honestly was a complete toss up as to how it would turn out, but I knew I needed to tell him regardless of the outcome. It didn't turn out the way I had hoped, but the funny thing about it is that I'm more relieved than anything. I am so glad that I told him, because it led to an almost two hour conversation between us in which we parted even better friends than before.

No, he doesn't love me back, but that doesn't mean my life is over. It means I can finally stop putting my life on hold to be the person I always thought he wanted and start doing the things I need to do. I would always hesitate about applying to a graduate school across the country (or out of the country), I would worry about an audition which could possibly take me out of state for up to three months. Well, no longer. I don't have to wonder what he is thinking, and I can be free to pursue my life's calling. For the first time in my life, I'm not afraid to be single.

Perhaps I'm overthinking this, perhaps this newfound courage will last all of two weeks, but I've noticed over the past few months that in many ways, I am becoming a much stronger person. This is just one more misconception about myself that I've managed to smash through and emerge victorious, albeit a bit shaken. This isn't going to be the last one either. There just comes a point in your life where you have to live. This is my time. I'm finally ready for it.