The "Perfect" Relationship

 By Courtney

As a kid we grow up watching fairy tales and movies where two people fall in love and they live "happily ever after" we assume that means their love is perfect and their relationship is perfect. One thing I learned from dating is that every relationship is different. Not just the ones that don't work but also the ones that do. My dad once told me to never try and have the same kind of relationship as another couple. He had a point, His and my mom's relationship is wonderful but that type of relationship isn't one that would work for me. My grandparents are another good example they were very much in love until the very end and though I want that kind of love, they were faith based and happy to be a hard-working American dream kind of household. I actually respect them for that. But John and I have a very different relationship than them. So here is my theory:

We can disagree, we can feel differently about something, we can look at things from a different point of view because we are two different people. And that is perfectly fine. Actually I think that is something that makes us stronger. Yes we have little tiffs every now and then when we can't seem to see eye to eye, but we always work it out. To us that's the key: communication. Sometime we have to take a step back from each other and work through things on our own. Often times we have to stop and understand the situation from the other persons eyes. I think that is out biggest flaw, we are both very stubborn about things. But who's to say that that is right or wrong? It's right for us.

We've had friends tell us they want a relationship like ours, and I'm seriously here thinking "No. No you don't" not because our relationship is bad, it's very wonderful, fulfilling and loving, but our relationship is built on some pretty unique things. We've had similar life experiences even at this young of an age that have caused us to operate differently and one of the reasons we click so well is because we understand each other when to other people our words or actions might seem irrational. Of course that's not the only thing we bond over, we work very well as a team where I can be very creative, John is very grounded and somehow we manage to pull together and make things happen. We both like some similar music (country). I'm not going to say we are totally the same, we aren't, yes we have similar likes and dislikes, but we also have some big differences I throw myself into projects in a way that drives him insane because I wont focus on anything else, and he is very laid back and tends to wait until the last minute or does projects pretty slowly. I like to plan everything in advance and he is pretty go with the flow. But that's not a bad thing. We end up just balancing each other out.

Okay, so at this point you either think we are going to fall apart or that we are perfect for each other. Honestly, I don't care what you think of our relationship. He's my best friend and I know I am his. The point of this wasn't for you to get an inside look at our relationship, it was to share something I think is important: You are an individual. No Relationship is the same as another because we are all individuals. The point of relationships is to work as a team. If you're a serious couple do yourself a favor and just figure out how you work. Nobody's love life is perfect. Even the happiest most beautiful, fulfilling relationships need to be continually worked on. It's because we are all growing as people whether it be as a team or by yourself.  So don't try and be like the movies or your parents, be like you. Because you is pretty awesome.

Until next time,

Courtney