Some years ago, an ex of mine gave me a teddy bear that I've had no desire to get rid of. For one thing, it's soft and cuddly and nice to sleep with. Why would I want to get rid of it?
The relationship also did not end badly so I saw no reason to get rid of it. It would have felt like a waste.
I'm not the only one who has kept something from a prior relationship either. People have their reasons. We heard some of them after Redditor wham_12 asked the online community,
"What's one thing your ex gave you that you can't get rid of?"
"Can't get rid of..."
"Curtains for my super uninsulated apartment. Can’t get rid of something so convenient."
jez187
Good curtains are worth their weight in gold. Keep them!
"She taught me to save up..."
"My ex converted me to a “buy-it-for-life” attitude with a lot of items. She taught me to save up and buy something quality rather than going for what you can afford at that instant. I’ve followed through with this with mattress, my couch, my wardrobe, my cookware, my jewelry, my appliances."
mm2m2
Yes! You literally get what you pay for. A lot of large cash purchases last soooo much longer than the bargain buys.
"The ability..."
"The ability to pronounce most Spanish words properly."
Issidian
Knowing another language, even if only a bit, pays dividends.
"She showed me..."
"Confidence in myself. She showed me what I was worth and what I deserved in a partner and for that I’ll be forever grateful."
OlDanBoy
That’s beautiful… she sounds like a kind soul!
"A larger..."
"A larger vocabulary and I am thankful for it."
MoansandScones
Dating someone articulate pretty much pays for itself.
"They're cuter..."
"The plush toys he gave me are still with me as part of my collection. They're cuter and not as mouthy as my ex anyway, so they stayed."
Happy_Collector
See what I mean? My plush toys are adorable and I wouldn't want to get rid of them.
"She gave me a belief..."
"A sense of not feeling like I'm unlovable. She gave me a belief that someone can love me and want to spend a life with me. The life wasn't with her, but I'm thankful for the relationship and the lesson is taught me."
ocelotrevs
Some people have exes who give them the opposite. You're lucky!
"I still have the shirt..."
"I still have the shirt he gave me when we broke up. It was my favorite and I always borrowed it when we were together. He knew how much I loved it and gave it to me as a parting gift, even though it was one of his favorites too. He was a good guy."
spiral
It’d be nice if all breakups had “parting gifts.” Like when you lose on a game show.
"Mine showed me..."
"Mine showed me what not to look for in a relationship."
GroundbreakingPop802
This is immensely valuable. You don't know what you don't know. You're all the better for it.
"Some great memories. We might not have ended up partners for life, but it was fun whilst it lasted."
[deleted]
This is a great perspective!
You see? Breakups aren't all bad. In many cases, you'll come away from them with a better understanding of yourself and where you stand. That's an invaluable gift.
Have some observations of your own? Tell us more in the comments below!
Want to "know" more?
Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.
Never miss another big, odd, funny, or heartbreaking moment again.
@hebagowayed/Bluesky
@waitmanwbeorn/X
@eighthoften/Bluesky 
@antigonesdream/Bluesky 
A1