I'm sure we've all seen a movie where some young girl falls in love with a boy and the rest of the movie is spent watching people blow her off, call her stupid, and find her idiotic and air headed because she's "too young" to know what love is about. That famous line from The Little Mermaid, "but Daddy I love him", should ring a bell. To be fair, Ariel was something like 14 when she decided she was head over heels in love with Eric, which even in my opinion is a little young. However, I'm frustrated at the fact that we so often hear stories of young people telling others they're in love, only to have their feelings shot down and called stupid.
I fell in love for the first time at the age of 16. Young right? At the time I didn't feel young at all, I felt wise beyond my years and so very in love. Since then, I have gone through a four-year relationship that didn't quite pan out the way I had imagined, had my heartbroken, spent many months on my own doing my own thing and loving it, only to meet someone and fall in love again. However, this time, while I'm still only 21 and have so much more living left to do, I feel that I truly know what I'm getting myself into after my last relationship. Isn't there some saying about dating being the best way to figure out what you like and don't like?
I was 16, and yes I was in love. Did it last? Nope. But was I truly in love? Oh yeah. Am I 21 now and even more in love? Most definitely. While a lot of people would look at me with a face full of judgment and criticism, I am proud to say that I now know just what healthy love feels like. Don't tell me I'm wrong because I'm young, and what you consider stupid. Have you been inside my head? Do you hear the thoughts that run through my head as I lie awake at night and glow with pure happiness? Have you been inside my heart to feel the same tightening, butterfly feeling I have whenever I'm looking at his adorable face across a table filled with the food we will soon devour at a disgusting rate? Cute, I know, I'll stop with the horrible mushiness.
Anyways, my real point here, is that no one, whether younger or older than me, is allowed to discredit my feelings and tell me I'm stupid or silly or ridiculous for being head over heels in love at such a young age. Am I going to run off and get married tomorrow? Oh hell no, I have way too many things to do with my life before that point. Am I willing to devote a lot of my time and energy to making this incredible relationship work? You bet. Do my feelings count no matter what age I am? Definitely. If I told someone I was sad, they would believe me and comfort me. If I told someone I was happy, they would celebrate with me and enjoy the happiness I had to offer them. Why is the feeling of love any different?
I'm 21, young, adventurous, I like to go out with my friends, I'm excited for what the future has to hold, and yes I'm also in love.
Don't tell me I'm wrong just because I'm young. My feelings are my own feelings and no one else's.
