I’ve been through enough to know that not everything in life happens the way we expect it to. I may have already passed up my chance to have the deep kind of love I want, or it may never happen to me like I’ve always hoped it would. Society likes to tell us that we’ll never be complete without the love of a romantic partner, but I don’t think that’s true. Here’s why I’ve already begun to accept that, even without love, I’ll turn out just fine:
- I’m already doing great. Really, though, I am. I’m achieving goals I’ve set for myself, I’m learning how to be a better sister, friend and all-around human being, and I’m making waves all on my own. I am an accomplished adult who just bought her first car solo, and no matter my success on the dating market, I’m going to make it just fine.
- I have other dreams. Do I dream of true love? Yes I do, and I’m not ashamed of that — but I dream of so many other things too. I want to travel all over. I want to get a few tattoos I’ve been thinking of for years. I want to write a book, see the cliffs of Dover, have a job where I feel fulfilled. Those dreams don’t take a back seat to the pursuit of love.
- I know who I am with or without it. I have done a lot of work on myself and my life, because I’ve had the time to. I’m confident in who I am, what I’m good at, what I’m not, what I like and dislike. I don’t need love to show me a different side of myself. I am who I am, no matter what my relationship status might be.
- Who needs love when you’ve got friendship? I don’t know about you, but there have been many times when a romantic paramour has broken my heart. My friends were always there to pick me up and help me stand on my own again. I believe the love of a friendship can be, and often is, stronger than romantic love. It can outlast romance, and I’m lucky: I’ve got more than a few friends who I know will be by my side for my whole life.
- I’m supported. I may not have a spouse or a partner cheering me on, but I have a network of people who’ve become my family to do that. Instead of leaning on just one person, I have many shoulders to cry on. Even if I never find lasting love, I’ll still have people I can reach out to for help.
- I’m don’t need to settle. Because I’m not desperate to be in a relationship, I know I won’t commit unless it’s right. I don’t have to give up on myself for the hope of a fragile kind of love. That alone tells me I’ll be alright without it.
- I’m already loved. Remember those friends and family I talked about before? Yeah, they love me, and they love me a lot. It took me a while to realize just how many people actually care about me. I’m starting to believe it now, though it’s still hard at times to recognize the magnitude of it. There are people in this world who love me and would do anything for me, and that’s ultimately how I know that I don’t need romance to be alright.
