Unexpected lessons

Today's blog is going to be kind of short and sweet. When I decided to do the 100 people challenge, I didn't really think about the fact that I had to know 100 people who have influenced my life in one way or another. HA! Fail! I know you're saying, "WOW Danielle! You're only on person 3." You're right, I am only on person 3 and I can assure you there are many people who have shaped who I am today and even I am excited about the 100 people. However, today's person is a hard one for me to write about. As many of you know, I dated a guy named Grant for 7 years. We met when we were 18 years old, on Living Proof and we hit it off right away. Number 3 is Grant Gibson. I know what your thoughts are and you don't have to share them, but if you think about it, 7 years of my 26 year life span is a pretty big deal. Grant an I traveled together, went to college together, and experienced many big milestones together in those 7 years. Naturally, he has influenced my life. I have no intentions of talking negatively about Grant because Grant is a good person. Am I hurt? Yes. Am I confused? Yes. Am I scared? Yes. Do I still love him? Yes. Will I be okay? YES! I loved Grant with all of my heart and I truly believe Grant loved me with all of his heart, in the best way he knew how. If you know anything about me, you know that I LOVE Disney princesses and wish I could be Belle from Beauty and the Beast. Growing up I had the fairytale outlook on love, and I still do. I believed in the prince charming, who would sweep me off my feet and love me forever and we would live happily ever after. I quickly learned that life is not a fairytale. Through my time with Grant, I learned a lot about myself and I learned a lot about relationships. During our relationship, I learned to truly love another person and to truly put their needs before my own. Grant was my prince and lived my life for him. BIG MISTAKE! Lesson 1: Never live your life for another person! Over the past 7 months I have had to readjust my plan for my life and my future. After losing Grant, it felt as if a part of me was missing. I still feel that way sometimes. However, I would not trade the last 7 years of my life with Grant. Yes, there are things I would have done differently, but I don't regret being with him. I could literally write about Grant and the lessons he and our relationship taught me, for hours. However, I will not bore you with that. The most exciting thing, that I am finally starting to grasp, is that God had and has another plan for my life, way bigger than I could ever hope for or dream. I don't really understand it and I get frustrated daily, but being with Grant has prepared me to except something even greater in the future. It also showed me what I need to change in my life in order to be the kind of wife a man deserves. Grant will always have a part of my heart but, because of him, I can love better and harder next time. Grant had a tremendous impact on my life and I am thankful for that!