So, a few years ago I met someone who blew me away. She was the ideal woman that I always dreamed about. We dated for a couple of years while she was finishing up her bachelors degree. Once she got her degree, she dumped me..since she "lost her connection" with me, and that she couldn't envision a future with the both of us in it. She told me that I was wasting my potential(since at the time I was just working a fulltime retail job and hanging out with friends and such).
It kinda killed me...I have been depressed for the five years since then. I ended up going back to college myself in an attempt to prove that I was worthwhile. I am graduating in a couple of days and that feeling of estrangement has creeped up again..plus her birthday is on the 24th. I always want to wish her well, but am afraid that I will come off as a creep, especially because I am sure she has gotten on with her life.
So yeah, I realized that part of me must be a control freak, as I am constantly frustrated by the fact that she left me and there was nothing I could do about it.
I don't know what I am trying to say, but thanks for giving me the space to babble.

Well,... Why don't you give her a call, and chat a bit to get some news with her?

Either she has indeed moved on, and perhaps is even married, and you can also give news from you, and feel better about yourself (you might even become good friends).

Another possibility is that she's still/again single, and there is a possibility that you hang out more together.

The worse option is to not do anything about it, and continue to obsess about it. You are right that it's not only a love issue, but there's also pride involved. She was disappointed by you, and you feel she underestimated you. There's nothing wrong in showing her that you made it. You will feel more appeased, and probably it will be easier to move on.