Have you ever tried to find a fault in something beautiful? Have you ever selfishly looked for a flaw in something you thought was too good to be true?

Whether it is because of a past experience or uncertainty, I think we are all a little bit guilty of looking for imperfections in perfect things to feel a sense of security and control.

I think more often than not, this overwhelming need to find these faults is applicable in relationships – both friends and significant others.

Sometimes you make a new friend and it’s like, “Where have you been all my life?” Then you get into an argument and you begin to question your intuition about people altogether.

Or maybe you met a special someone, and you’re thinking that they are just too darn good to be real so you start to hunt for a glitch.

Personally, this is my biggest obstacle when meeting new people. I want to trust wholly and give it my all, but I’m also not one to throw caution to the wind. As a matter of fact, when things start to move forward, I throw caution right in front of me and use it as an excuse to find something wrong when there just isn’t.

I know I know, I’m a walking contradiction.

The funny thing is, these attempts to be cautious and keep our guard up can actually keep us from finding something absolutely and wonderfully marvelous. I can be so concerned with not getting hurt or wanting to be reassured or needing to have control that I unknowingly ruin something before giving it a chance to blossom.

My innate desire to protect myself, emotionally and physically, often debilitates my ability to grow as a person through the exponentially significant aspect of life called relationships.

Now don’t get me wrong, there are less than pleasant people in this world that may have mistreated you in the past, friends and significant others included. Instead of using these past nightmares as a scale of comparison, use them as learning experiences.

I guess moral of this story is that it’s okay to throw caution to the wind sometimes and have those little things called feelings. It’s okay to find a new friend and develop a bond that might just last a lifetime. It’s okay to meet a boy and let your walls down a little bit.

It is important to be able to take care of yourself and be strong in your independence, but it is also important to let someone take care of you for a change. Whether it’s a friend’s shoulder to lean on because a boy was mean to you, or a boy to take you out to dinner because he thinks you’re pretty rad.

Be bold and watch the cookie crumble in your favor. Sometimes the best things in life come when we least expect it, but moreover, when we let our guard down enough to see the beautiful things right in front of us.

Learn to guard your heart while loving courageously, and find a couple people to do life with. If you’re lucky, you might even find a special someone to spend the rest of your life with.

Life is too short to spend looking for flaws. Appreciate the beauty of potential in people and these new friendships/relationships. It’s worth it, I promise.

“If you are too careful, you are so occupied in being careful that you are sure to stumble over something.” ― Gertrude Stein