Ironically, it is our human nature to constantly fill our own reality with fiction. We watch movies, read books, and essentially play make believe, all while not realizing the effect it has on the way we view the world. Because here's the thing....as much as I'd like to believe that Romeo and Juliet were in love from the second they saw each other until death parted them, I think a much more realistic look would prove that they were just hormonal teenagers who were overly attracted to one another. Even if they weren't, even if they were actually in love, guess what? It's fiction.

I wish I could believe in love at first sight. In a lot of ways, it'd make life a lot easier. I could skip dating all together and just start "the search" for my one, true soulmate because I'd know him when I saw him. I wish I could believe that sparks would fly and fireworks would explode when he held my hand for the first time or just simply held the door for me. I wish I could believe that he had been saving himself his whole life for me.

But the truth is....that just isn't realistic.

Although Meredith Grey and Derek Shepard make a truly moving and beautiful love story...how many people do you know that had a love at first sight one-night stand and then ended up marrying that person?

Since we're going with fictional stories, I'd just like to say that Jim and Pam's love story is a much more believable one. At least they were best friends first? But even then...what guy do you know who would wait four years for a girl who was engaged?

I'm not saying that love doesn't win or that these things absolutely can't happen, but let's be real.

I will not waste time fooling myself into believing that my knight in shining armor is waiting around the corner to make the perfect "fall in love with me" prolonged eye contact. Instead, I will spend my time working to be the best me I can be. I've come to realize that, the more I wait around for prince charming, the more miserable I am, and the less I worry about how long it's been since I went on a date, the happier I am. I will not put my life on pause to wait for something that doesn't exist, but I will live my life the way that I believe is best and the right way.

I believe in love. I believe in the awesome, deep, great kind of love that defies odds and makes us question who we are at the core, but even so, I do not believe at love at first sight. Love is an action, not an exchange of hot glances. It takes work, strength, and dedication. It should not be taken lightly, but it should not be something you lose sleep over because you've never had it.

Great things come to those who wait. So stop walking into Starbucks and searching to see if anyone catches your eye and stop forcing yourself to "put yourself out there." You do not have to do anything that is out of your comfort zone or that isn't you. In fact, avoid that at all costs. You want to find a true love story, your own true love story. But that can't happen unless you are nothing but yourself. Don't worry about comparing yourself to others or their relationships because I promise, once you get yours, the real true one, you'll laugh at the thought of ever envying someone else's relationship.

So take a step back from the TV screen and realize that the world isn't perfect enough for love at first sight. However, love still exists and you shouldn't give up on it. Just stop looking around every corner and look in the mirror and love yourself.