He Isn’t ‘The One Who Got Away’, He Just Wasn’t Meant To Stay

All of us at some point in our lives crossed paths with someone and felt something special; we felt so connected with this person that we thought they were “The One”. Unfortunately, things didn’t work out. And every time you think of him, you believe he was the one that got away. The connection was earth-shattering that shook your whole world and made you believe that you could never find another person like him.

If you can’t stop thinking about the one that got away, you’re not alone. I have also spent a lot of sleepless nights thinking of that person, wishing that I could go back in time and do things differently, hoping the stars would align and we could have been together.

But one day I came to the realization that there is no such thing as the one who got away, because the truth is he didn’t get away, he just wasn’t meant to stay. 

It’s really hard trying to move on from what feels like an unfinished relationship. We sometimes torture ourselves fantasizing how things could have been. And we can’t get over the fact that something so magical banished right before our eyes.

We waste so much time trying to find factors why everything ended because we don’t want to face the fact that it was not meant to be. We blame timing, circumstances, and ourselves. We are filled with maybes. Maybe things were moving too fast. Maybe he had too much going on in his life. Maybe he just wasn’t in the right place to be in a relationship. Maybe we will meet again in the future, and maybe then we will be right for each other. Or maybe I did something that made him leave. You have so many doubts, and you can’t stop yourself from thinking about him. You wonder what could have happened if the stars were aligned in the right place. Or the circumstances were right. And now, you find yourself heartbroken, feeling lost and confused, and all you can think about is on what should have been.

I’ve heard so many times that sometimes timing or the circumstances are not right, and that could keep you from being together. And quite frankly, I don’t believe that. I’ve been in situations when I didn’t think I was ready for a relationship, but when I met someone who I thought was special, I changed my mind quickly. It didn’t matter how messy or busy my life was at the moment, I made time and space for this person to fit into my life.

You see, people put the effort into people they truly want. A love that is meant to last doesn’t go away. The right man for you won’t push away when things get too serious. The right man won’t see your mistakes or flaws are deal-breakers. The right man will make himself be ready to be in a relationship, even if he wasn’t looking for one at the time. When a man sees that you’re everything he has ever wanted, he’ll stick with you. No one or anything will push him away.

Believe me when I say there is no such thing as the one who got away. You just met someone you deeply connected with and it didn’t work out at the end.

Wondering what could have been will only keep you living in the past. Believing that you can never find better love, will only keep you from finding the kind love that truly suits you—a love that stays. Let go of the past. Thinking about the past is not healthy. Holding on to someone who already let you go is not healthy.

Let him go. Stop playing scenarios in your head on how things should have panned out. Don’t waste your time and tears on someone who abandoned you when your feelings got stronger. Open your eyes and face the reality. Yes, you met someone special, and this person made you feel magic. You loved this person and wanted him to take a permanent place in your life, but he had an expiration date. He wasn’t meant to stay; perhaps he only came into your life to make you believe in magic again, to make you see that you are capable of opening your heart, and to teach you a lesson about love.

And remember, he is the one who got away because the right one is on his way.


About the author

Mitzi J Hernandez

A writer writing love, life and her cancer journey.💚