There is a feeling that is very familiar to the majority of people on this earth. It is a feeling that no one enjoys and that most people try to avoid all together. It is also a feeling known to catch up with you no matter how hard you try to get away from it.

This feeling is called loneliness.

Being a 20-year-old woman in today's world, loneliness can come to me in many different forms, but the most prevalent way that it has shown up in my life is through relationships (or the lack thereof).

I guess you can say I am a bit of a romantic (this is the understatement of the year). I have always been fascinated by love and romance, and as I have gotten older, I have been able to more clearly see the way that this has shaped my dating habits.

I have never been the girl who always has a boyfriend; in fact, I have actually always been the girl who doesn't have one.

Now, most people just assume that I wanted to focus on myself and that I just didn't want a boyfriend, but this was never actually the case. I have always been the type of person who doesn't like to waste my time. I don't believe in frivolously giving my heart to any guy who shows interest in me.

When I think of relationships and love, I imagine something powerful and all-consuming. I want a love that is full of passion and respect, something that is increasingly hard to find in today's society. I have never been willing to give my heart half-way. I love too hard to allow myself to get caught up in relationships that aren't going to last.

This is precisely why I find myself still single while people tell me things like: "there are so many guys out there..." or "you are being too picky..." or (my personal favorite) "what you are imagining doesn't exist..."

To these people I say, if what I imagine love to be doesn't exist, then I don't want any part in it. A love any weaker and smaller than what I imagine isn't worth it.

In life, we compromise on so many things; love should not be one of them. I refuse to compromise my heart and give it any less than the love it deserves.

It isn't easy to go through this life searching for the love that will touch your soul. In fact, it can sometimes be the loneliest feeling in the world, but it is so important.

I would rather be lonely for years rather than settle for a love that isn't meant for me. This would not only be unfair to me, but also to the other person who is meant for someone other than me.

Love is important and so very rare. Please don't ever take a true connection with another soul for granted because these connections do not come around very often.

“I’m not the type to cycle in and out of relationships. I experience true connection rarely and would never dare settle for less. I’d rather wait a lifetime in isolation for something that genuinely captivates me, than rush into something shallow or ordinary just to feel needed.” ~ Beau Taplin