True Love Gets a Dose of Reality

Growing up, we were given the image of love as fairytales, true love, and happily ever after. It gave us a sense of hope that one day our prince charming would come along and rescue us from a tower or give us true love's kiss. The reality, though, is true love can exist only if you want it to. True love doesn't come easy or natural. In fact, it is hard work and will take sacrifice, commitment, and occasionally a sense of doubt. The real question is, though, what happens when true love fails you?

At nineteen years, old I found the funniest, smartest, perfect, most amazing guy in the world. I made sacrifices beyond belief in order to make him happy. He was my fairytale, my prince, my true love.

That is until one day my prince decided he didn't want a princess, but another prince. After five years of marriage, a move (away from family), and starting my career. I was left in an unfamiliar city with no friends, no husband, and no idea of what the hell was going to come next. So, I was left with the question "How do I love again?" How do I move past the memories, the feelings, the hopes of my future. Because in the blink of an eye my future changed in one of the most drastic ways I could possibly imagine. How do I move on and love another especially when I swore up and down I would never love another "prince"? The answer is in the question..."prince."

Fairytales give us the ideal image that men are perfect, flawlessly romantic, and will remain hopelessly in love with you despite your faults. That's why I held my "prince" and true love to such a high standard.

However, the reality of love is that you make love what it is. You find someone that is not perfect and adjust your reality. You don't change them or hold them on a pedestal. You love them because of their flaws. You love them not because they are a "perfect prince, but because they are an imperfect person. You... love... them. For me it took finding a redneck country hick to realize this.

I sit here four days from my wedding about to marry a flawed, rugged, challenging man, and I couldn't be more sure. I am sure it won't be easy. I am sure it won't happy all the time. I am sure though that it will be worth it. I see this man and his flaws and know that he is real. Fairytales and true love is fun and games, but it's not real. Hard work, flaws, fights, those are reality. It is working together and working through these aspects that create a love that is true.

I always thought true love meant there was one person out there for you that was truly meant to be yours. After meeting my fiancé though, my definition changed.

True love is about loving someone enough, and despite the hard times and flaws, you still love them. Your love is pure, unhindered, honest, unbreakable. Your love is true.

So, whether you are single in high school, engaged in college, a married spouse, or divorced, find a love that is true. Don't wait for the prince. Wait for the man with flaws who will truly love you.