By Kenneth Stepp
Love, they say it’s a tricky thing. I’m beginning to believe it is far more simple than that. Maybe it is as simple as two people meet, have a mutual attraction, give it a try, remove other distractions and options, be honest, monogamous, and understanding. Build from there. Don’t over think things, don’t look for faults, and above all, don’t expect perfection. You aren’t perfect and neither are they. Get to know one another. Not what others think of your potential forever, learn what you yourself thinks. See, it is simple. It’s two people who have set themselves aside for one another, in hopes of something long term happening. Maybe even the holy grail… Forever. I am still hoping for it. Have I already met her?
Those of us wandering around searching for forever, always have moments of doubt. It’s part of the journey. I have them often. Then in the middle of getting to know someone, it happens. I visualize, even fantasize about “us”. It’s happened a few times. It feels incredible till the fear sets in, and it always does. The negative thoughts, the what ifs, the doubts. These are what destroys a relationship before it begins. One minute we are envisioning what life would be like with them, the next minute we are searching for an excuse to run out the door. I’ve watched it happen, and lived it myself. Does that mean we aren’t ready? I don’t think so. I believe we are giving our past experiences power to destroy our future. It is so counter productive. And if allowed, sentences us to a life alone and the possibility of missing the person we were suppose to share our life with. Be aware of it, fight it. Don’t let a person who mistreated you, keep you from real love. Don’t make them pay for what someone else did to you. It happens too often. We miss forever this way.
So, how do we find a love that lasts? I know for me, it’s been a couple of close calls that ended for reasons I still can’t wrap my mind around. One still haunts me at times. It’s like she was my forever love. But from a great distance. Yea, that’s a funny one until it happens to you. I recently met a couple of girls who I am sure were wonderful mates and for whatever reason, their husbands looked elsewhere. It’s a sad truth that this happens too often. I believe to find a love that lasts we have to be determined to follow through. Drown out the noise from others, believe in one another, and take time and develop our own opinions of their character and who they are down deep. Because people will talk, if they are your shining knight, the armor has tarnish if you look close. They all do. Flaws are everywhere and on all of us. I have many. Like I said, all of us. The trick is to only see that real value in one another. Then, you are able to never see anyone who compares. That means you have found forever. What a wonderful thought….
“There’s never going to be someone else,” he says, shaking his head. “You’ve wrecked me. I wouldn’t be any good to anybody now—except for you.”
― Emm Cole, The Short Life of Sparrows
