What is the definition of love? Honestly, I don't think there can be one precise definition of the term as everyone has a different view of what they believe. There are the hopeless romantics, those who just love as they go, and those who don't believe in it. I am one of those individuals that don't believe in it. Well, why do you say? I have my reasons, I think we get too wrapped up in our emotions. When I look back on history and families, much has changed. Today, it is more acceptable in society to get divorced, cheat, etc. Back even in the 1970s it was more taboo and hidden if a married couple were fighting or separating. Now, no one ever really gets shocked when people separate/get divorced, it is just another natural occurrence.

Go ahead, call me cynical or a non-believer but everyone is entitled to their own opinions. Growing up, we have been faced with love stories before we were old enough to even realize it. Disney movies are one of the greatest examples I could think of. Let's take Cinderella. We see a "damsel in distress" type situation, but then out of nowhere a guy comes around and changes her life. He is her "The One." Yeah, her circumstances were unfortunate before but who says that she needed a guy and love to get her out of that situation? I'm not saying that everyone believes they need a significant other to be happy but that is a general concept that has come to be in today's world. It isn't always just love, it just is lust. When I was little, I believed in my prince charming and knew that that person would make me complete and be my total happiness. But as I started to get older, I started to realize things more. There is more than just "The One," there are billions of people in the world so it is highly possible that there is more than one person that could understand you in all the right ways.

In 21 years, I've gone back and forth with the idea of love. "Do I want to get married?" "Should I be settled down already?" and honestly, as of right now I am so okay where I am in life romantically and I don't really see myself getting married. I think that I will find someone that will get me a little bit better than others and learn to enjoy all my little quirks and honestly that's all I need. I don't need a big fancy party and a license to recognize that. To me, love is an idea we have had embedded into our heads. I think it is possible to love someone, romantically or not, but I don't think that "falling in love/being in love" is a thing. How do we know that we are linked to someone that deeply like that?

So now let's look at a believers point of view. "Well what if the idea of having 'the one' is for me?" Great, that is your opinion and I will respect it. I just want you to be aware of something. The minute that we start to put all our faith in finding "The One," the more we are setting ourself up for harder heartbreak. You might think you have found your person, but even the greatest relationship can break. I'm not saying that it will, but it could. I can't possibly relate all my happiness and worth into another person. Because honestly, someone might make me happy at one moment, but maybe a few months later they won't. The idea of love can sometimes be a slap in the face.

I've given up on the idea of love stories and I am 100 percent okay with that. A true love story would never pass by as a book or a movie because it isn't that picture perfect story that we want our lives to be. Love stories have set people up for false hope and expectations that people have. If you found that, great. But if you haven't, that is okay too.