There comes a time when despite all of your efforts, your sacrifices, your compromises, grabbing every opportunity and taking every chance you can get; all of your blood, sweat, and tears working and making something you so badly want to happen will not go into fruition. Even if the universe tried to conspire on your behalf, or you have the noblest of intentions, fate dictates otherwise.

But probably what “puts the cherry on top,” is later knowing that the other person never even actually tried or gave what could’ve been something meaningful a chance to blossom. Something that you were told after what would be the perfect chance given to both of you to finally be together. Yet you pressed on, believing that in the end, love will conquer all. But all you got back is emptiness.

Once that realization sets in, tell me, how can you go on? How can you muster the strength to pick up the pieces–again–and start over? The simple answer is: you don’t. You have laid everything on the line, pushed yourself to past the limits you didn’t even know you can, and risked everything in which the repercussions of those actions can and will be felt long after it’s over. You don’t move on. You. Just. Move. Forward.

Carry your battle scars as if they were medals. Wear your beaten-to-a-pulp pride as if they were stripes of rank. Be proud of your shredded heart as if it was a golden trophy. And hold your weary head high because you know you did anything and everything possible for victory… not for you, but for the one person you damn well know will make your own life worth living.

Move forward. Alone. For the best days of your life clearly are now behind you. You have fulfilled what you said you’ll do; you honored your part of the bargain. Bury what’s left of what you feel in your heart. Pick up your feet and put one on front of the other, and keep repeating. Let the whole world see you for the mangled and mortally wounded person you are. So that they will know that with what you’ve been through, you will never, ever go through this with anyone else ever again. Walk until you fall to your knees and the last ounce of your strength finally leaves you. The fight… the war you waged for this thing called true love, is finally, finally over.