Everyone assumes that every single little girl grows up with the same fairy tale fantasy, the desire for the stereotypical house with a white picket fence packed full of children and her complete devotion to her husband’s every whim. I never had these dreams. I wanted to remain my own woman. As a young girl, I was the embodiment of feminism. I grew up so strong-willed and independent that I could not entertain the idea of ever needing a man for anything. I believed he would only suppress me and hinder my dreams. I have never been so happy to be so utterly wrong.
I fervently held this distorted view until I met a blue-eyed boy over a stack of plates. This ignited a deep relationship that taught me as much about myself as it did him. I never would have believed that to truly be myself I would have to give myself entirely to another person. I was amazed that when I was with him I could admit issues that I could never admit to myself. I used to be ashamed of ever shedding a tear, but he taught me to face my problems and embrace my emotions. He gave me the strength to accomplish what I could not alone. When my life seemed to be dissolving into shambles, he picked me up and dusted me off. Together, we explored every underlying facet of this enigma we call life. We both share an avid passion of learning; nothing escaped our realm of fascination. We are always watching the History Channel or the Discovery Channel.
None of my triumphs felt like accomplishments until I had shared them with him. Life feels so hollow when you live alone. I had never realized my life contained a void until it had been filled. Every sappy love song I had ever heard finally made sense. It did not make them good; they just made sense. It’s true what they say. Love makes life brighter; the flowers smell sweeter, and waking up in the morning is finally worth it.
That’s not to say life isn’t still horribly difficult. Love is just God’s way of making it manageable. There has be to something pure and beautiful to counteract the harsh and destructive nature of life. After all, “No man is meant to be an island.” Humans are social creatures; we require companionship. We are not meant to overcome life’s obstacles by ourselves. Friends are nice, but they are not equivalent to a lover. When two people completely and totally devote themselves to each other, they can accomplish deeds the world has never dreamed of. Love is a partnership. It doesn’t mean that one person dominates a relationship for personal gain. Love furthers both members of a couple. It makes you stronger as an individual and a team. It’s not something you can fathom until you have experienced it in its true form.
Elbert Hubbard once said, “The love we give away is the only love we keep.” I believe that to truly know yourself, you must be willing to give your heart to the right person. If you are afraid of getting hurt, you will never experience your life fully. Life contains risks, adventure, and love. To see this you must keep an open heart, mind, and soul to new experiences. Love is about discovering yourself, not stifling who you are.