L.O.V.E.

Hello, strangers.

I used to think I knew what love was. I think I've mentioned this before. I thought it was that butterflies-in-your-stomach, completely giddy, head-over-heels feeling I got when I saw the person I thought I "loved." Turns out, those feelings were actually due to oxytocin... It was a completely biological/chemical response... Now, while this particular hormone is important to build particular parts of relationships, it doesn't equal love.

What I've realized from my adult relationship (5.5 yrs and going strong!) is that love is about more than just those early butterflies. It's more than just feeling head-over-heels. Those things are important in the early relationship, but what comes next is even better! Love is about a commitment to another person. It's about compromising on things you never thought you'd compromise on because you love that other person so much that you're willing to do that. It's about building an identity with that person while still maintaining your own identity (which isn't always easy to do!). It's about learning to communicate with that other person. It's about trusting that other person enough to let them have a piece of you. It's about so much more than those early "falling in love feelings." Don't get me wrong. I love the feeling of falling in love. But there comes a point in our lives that we have to realize that love is more than that. My relationship isn't always as exciting as it was in the beginning. My life is pretty predictable. Some may think that's boring, but it's the way I believe relationships evolve. When they become more serious, there isn't a need for constant excitement. I mean, I love when we do get to do fun things together, but I also love our low-key nights and enjoy them just as much.

Anyway, I guess what inspired this blog is that lately I've seen a lot of relationships crash and burn (friends, celebrities, etc.). I think that people forget that relationships take WORK! Sure, they are easy at first.. both people are on their best behavior... but when it gets hard, it seems that a lot of people would rather bail out than to actually try to make it work. I don't understand it. I think that being able to build a relationship with someone is an amazing process. There are ups and there are downs, but the downs are what make the ups SO much more enjoyable!

So, strangers, I guess what I'm trying to say is that when things get tough, don't automatically give up. Your relationship will be stronger for it. :)

P.S. The holiday season is upon us, so I may go MIA for a while. I have a 2.5-3 week vacation planned in mid-December until early January, so I probably won't be posting much. But I hope everyone has a very happy holiday season! :D