Many young adult novels have a romantic center, or at the very least a romantic element or side story in them. It’s hard to escape. The type of romance usually surrounds the main character finding true love. Forever love. “The One”. In real life, some people have found it and are living their happily ever after as I type. For some of us, though, this is not the case. I have yet to find “The One” myself.
Sometimes I love reading romantic stories. It makes me happy. It makes me think about how wonderful falling in love can be when it first happens.
Then there are those times when it can be very discouraging. As you get older and older, watching all your friends and former classmates marry, you begin to wonder. When will I find “The One”? Did I miss out? Is there something wrong with me? And then there’s the big question: Why can’t love happen to me like it does in the books I read?
Now, that is a doozy of a question. Sometimes love isn’t always as simple as the books. Sometimes it’s too simple--in other words, too unreal.
Then again, why can’t the love in books be real? It is possible to fall in love. It may not happen easily, it may not be simple, it may not be elegant, it may not happen when you’re really young… but it’s there. It exists. Some people fall in love in high school, some in college, some just after college. But not everyone finds “The One” right away. Some people find them in their 30’s, 40’s, and beyond! It’s true! You may be thinking, “I don’t want to wait THAT long!” You may not have to. You may get lucky and meet them right away.
While reading
Persuasion, there’s a gentleman who loses the love of his life in death before they could be wed. He’s devastated. Anne Elliot talks to his friend about him saying, “He will rally again, and be happy with another.” It turned out to be true, he does love again. Even if death separates two people in love, they can love again.
One of my favorite TV shows is How I Met Your Mother. Even if you don’t care for the show, what I am about to share with you will fill your heart with hope. It certainly filled mine with hope (my eyes fill with tears every time I watch that episode). I wanted to embed a video clip here, but for some reason, there is not a single video of that part on You Tube that is of decent quality. So here's the dialogue instead:
Ted: Okay, I'm going to say something out loud that I've been doing a pretty good job of not saying out loud lately. What you and Tony have, what I thought for a second you and I had, what I know that Marshall and Lily have... I want that. I do. I keep waiting for it to happen, and waiting for it to happen, and... I guess I'm just tired of waiting. And that is all I'm going to say on that subject.
Stella: You know I talked my way out of a speeding ticket?
Ted: Really?
Stella: I was heading upstate with my parents, I was doing 90 on the country roads, and I got pulled over. So this cop, gets out of his car, swaggers over and he says, 'Lady, I've been waiting for you all day.' And I said, 'Sorry Officer, I got here as fast as I could!'
Ted: For real?
Stella: No, it's just a joke. [pause] I know that you're tired of waiting. And you may have to wait a little while more but, she's on her way, Ted. And she's getting here, as fast as she can.
You may think love is taking too long to come your way. But it’s coming… as fast as it can. It may not be perfect, you may not be Cinderella and he may not be Prince Charming, but it’s out there for you. Hope is a powerful thing. Embrace it.
~Jessica
(Photo from: http://www.everystockphoto.com/photo.php?imageId=6744321&searchId=46d5793b1ae771a4889235ccab91c17a&npos=132)