Relationships are a delicate song and dance. You learn the basic steps in Kindergarten and from there, you build upon the foundation that was laid at a very young age. Friends turn into boyfriends, boyfriends turn into husbands, and so on and so forth. In my most recent article, I wrote about putting yourself out there, but in all honesty, real life fairytales aren't accompanied by an epic soundtrack. From someone who learned everything she knows about love from John Hughes films, the absence of Jake Ryan leaning up against his red Porsche can be a hard pill to swallow.
As children, we are raised to believe that good always triumphs over evil. We are all given the same blank sheet of paper, but as time goes on, people write our story for us. You’re a product of those around you. With each encounter, we grow more and more weary of heartbreak. When I was just a little girl, I was told that the ultimate goal in life is to get married and start a family of my own. Visions of horse-drawn carriages and damsels in distress consumed my thoughts all day, every day. However, no one bothered telling me that in reality, prince charming might or might not be there in the end.
Worldly desires such as wealth, status, and physical appearance turn something that should be so simple into a multifaceted emotion. The way I see it, dating is a prolonged interview for the coveted position of an individual's husband or wife. You find out what makes that person smile uncontrollably or what their biggest fear is, and you fall in love with the details. After a period of courtship, you decide whether or not you can see yourself spending the rest of your lives together. We're all flawed in some way, shape, or form. Previous relationships have led us to guard our hearts with the utmost caution. The truth is, we've all been screwed over a time or two, but it's how you choose to react that makes you who you are. You could very easily spend your whole life saying "woe is me" or you can dust your shoulders off and get back in the game. Love is a gamble.
