I've always self-identified as a hopeless romantic, and my friends and family can easily agree that I have always believed in happily ever after. I mean I saw it in all the movies, read about it in all the books, and witnessed it between strangers. I wasn't ready to give up on believing that it could all happen for me, even if it was happening for most around me.

That is until I really did start to grow hopeless. I started to come up with my alternative plan. I wanted to make sure that my biggest dreams could still happen regardless of meeting my Mr. Right.

One of my biggest dreams for all of my life was to be a mom. My alternative plan included researching how to become a foster parent. I even went so far to look at children waiting to be placed in homes, imagining how I could make it work to have a family and my career.

I would need to set myself up for that career first, but I decided that I would be a mom regardless of having a husband to do it all with. I decided I didn't need a man in my life, and I was coming to terms with a reality that I could face in my future. I actually was feeling quite comfortable with the life I was beginning to plan for myself.

And then I met the man who changed that view.

It all sort of fell into place, and honestly it all felt sort of surreal. I didn't see it coming, and I certainly thought it was all too good to be true. But in every moment we were spending together, I realized that all of it was very real, very much happening right in front of my eyes.

I thought my chance at falling in love wasn't ever going to come. I figured that it just wasn't in the cards for me, and I was totally wrong. In fact, I was letting my impatience cloud my idea of love.

They, as in basically everyone who has ever waited for love to come their way, says it happens when you aren't expecting it. It happens when you're finally okay with being your single self. You don't even see it coming.

And they're absolutely right.

I know that you think I'm just another one of those people who "got lucky" in the love department but trust me when I say that it will happen. Your time will come, and patience is key. I mean it is said that "good things come to those who wait."

In all reality, I used to roll my eyes every time someone told me that it would happen for me. I used to tell people that I really didn't believe it could happen, that I didn't see why it would because I was meant to be just me. I had been doing it for all of my life so I was already used to it.

Then, when it did happen, I realized why my friends and family never stopped reminding me. Maybe it's because they don't want a hopeless romantic to lose hope. Hopeless romantics see all the good in the world and make the most out of the toughest situations because they believe that love and good exists.

And although it feels hopeless, and every part of your conscience tells you to stop believing, but it's going to happen. You will finally be settling into the life you think you're going to live as a single woman, and suddenly, you'll meet that person who makes you understand why you waited so long. You'll understand that fate led you to that exact moment when the rest of your life is decided.

So keep holding out for that happily ever after that you've always dreamt of. Remain the hopeless romantic that you are because you won't be hopeless forever. Until that time comes, just sit back, relax, and enjoy this beautiful thing called life.