Although I may have been too young to understand my parents divorce when it happened, growing up it changed how I viewed a lot of things. It changed how I viewed friendships, relationships and even just the way I observed people.

Like a lot of divorces, my parents' didn't end pretty. So I react to relationships differently because well.. I saw one fall apart before my eyes. And the cause of the marriage ending remained a mystery until I had gotten much older.

I tried to learn from their mistakes but I come to realize I act a little differently than those who were raised in a non-broken family. I view my relationships and the many aspects of it in a different light than most.

Communication is literally key.

One thing I remember the most about the times my parents were together is that they constantly fought. Neither of them would listen to the other because they were too worried about yelling over the other while my older brother and I would crawl up the stairs and hide.

Communication is important to me because I don't want to go through that. I don't like yelling. I don't the guessing game of what is the other person thinking. I would rather talk about a problem and try to solve it than just be angry and not work on anything.

I'm sorry if I question your intentions.

I may question you because the one relationship I should model after, I can't. I may question why you do certain things or why you say the things you do. And I may even question how much you actually care for me. But it's because I'm protecting myself.

My guard goes up with all kinds of people, whether they be friends or potentially something more. I don't want people in life that say they care but don't.

Honesty is everything.

Because honesty was apparently a hard concept that caused my parents to split, I take it more seriously than others.

I don't like being lied to, even little white lies and even those told with good intensions. All I ask is that you never lie to me because that hurts more than the truth.

I do except the worst out of a situation.

This isn't a sometimes, it's an always.

I expect the worst because that's what I've seen my entire life.

When you are young, you are taught marriage is a once in a life thing and it's magical. But that's never what I saw.

Excepting the worst never let me feel like I was let down though. Since I except the worst possible thing to happen I was never surprised when I did. But I was however, surprised when it didn't

Commitment is serious... Sometimes I'm not sure I'm ready for it.

Because my parents didn't stay together, I take commitment seriously because I would like someone who says they are only for me to mean that.

But at the same time it can be rather scary. I know I am scared of it. I'm scared because I want it to work out. I want to have someone who is actually committed to me like I am to them.

The other problem is I tried to make myself believe I wasn't ready for it and this make me uneasy jumping into a relationship.. But eventually I overcame that.

But I'm so willing to give second chances.

I'm told I'm too nice and yes, it does get me into trouble.

I know not everyone is perfect and I think that's where my big heart controls me more than I would like to admit. I give out second chances a lot more than I should because I usually get burned when I let someone back into my life.

I should learn from that mistake but I don't know if I ever will.

I will love you.

This one is probably the hardest for me to admit right away, but I know it'll come.

I do fall in love, sometimes easily. But if you can accept me for my flaws and my struggles, I know I'll love you one day.

I do have love to give even if it is hidden inside all of the walls I have built up to protect myself. You just have to care enough to break them down.

Loving me may not be the easiest thing to do but I can promise you it's worth it.

So I do take things more seriously than other but it's because I learned everything I shouldn't do before I learned what is good for me. I give too many second chances and will question you for a while, but I try my hardest. But all kinds of relationships are important to me even though it may not seem like it at first. I just learned how to love differently.