if someone you loved were writing you a letter saying good-bye, what would you want them to make sure they included?

Dear ...,
I'm so sorry to be writing this rather than saying it to your face.

It's hard for me to say it. I fear how you might react, ... (name the emotion ...angry, shocked, disappointed, overwhelmingly sad, etc).

I need to say goodbye because I've (been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and I'm going into palliative care; been offered a job overseas that I can't bear to turn down; I've met someone else and I think he's The One I've always dreamed of; I feel we don't share enough in common to make this relationship a long term success and I need to be free to meet someone else... etc, infinite poss. reasons.) (The key is to tell the truth as it is for you, no blame or criticism of them.)

There have been so many positive things in what we've shared...
I've really loved... (name their good traits) about you.
I've learned...

If my saying goodbye has hurt you then I feel deeply sorry about it and wish there could have been some way that didn't trigger grief or pain.

name how you feel, or maybe just write[i] sincerely[/i].
... your name.

Why do they have to leave?

Will they ever be back?

Did they regret any of the time they spent with me? What did it mean to them?

And I would like to know that they cared, and still care, whether it was romantic or not.