25 Things I've Learned About Love

I know I promised my 25 Things I've Learned About Love blog over a month ago.  But, better late than never, right?  I'm glad I'm posting it now as opposed to then because so much has changed in the past month.  In the past one month exactly as of today.

1) It happens when you least expect it.  By the time you realize it, it will be too late to stop it.  The best things in life are surprises from the universe.  I'm learning to appreciate that.

2) "When I started dating, I had this kind of Romeo and Juliet, fateful, romantic idea about love.  It was almost that you were a victim - that there was a lot of pain involved and that was how it should be.  Shakespeare said the course of true love never did run smooth and I had a sense it had to be painful.  It was such a revelation to realize it shouldn't be that way and you get to choose who you love and who you give your heart to." - Emma Watson

3)  "We accept the love we think we deserve."  If you don't love yourself, you can't expect anyone else to love you.  Until you realize your worth, you will continue to settle for people who tear you apart.  

4) "You had anxiety, so I held my breath until you finally took one."  In true love, if one hurts, you both hurt.  There's no separation between problems.  You hurt and then you get through them together.  Always.  The greatest perk of love is not having to undergo life alone.

5)  There's no such thing as not enough time.  We always find time for the things we truly care about.

6)  I feel that a lot of these statements may imply that I believe there's no pain in love.  That's not the case; there most certainly is.  Because there's pain in life.  But a relationship should not be defined by pain and hurt and heartbreak.  Eminem's Love The Way You Lie is not love.  It's insanity.

7)  1 Corinthians is correct in stating that love is patient, but that isn't an invitation for you to make yourself a doormat.  You can only hit your head on the same doorway so many times before you learn to duck.

8)  You will discover things you enjoy that you never even considered before.  For me, I discovered I enjoy cooking and two years ago I couldn't even make popcorn without setting off the smoke alarm.

9) Love delights in your accomplishments. Your success is their success. You should never have to downplay the things you accomplish. Your partner should ways be proud of you. 

10) There has to be a balance between loving yourself and loving your relationship. You can't love your relationship so much that you completely lose yourself. 

I'm stopping at ten things. I will add more to this list as I continue to grow and learn more. I'm learning everyday as I've found someone who regularly challenges my definition of love. She's wrecked everything I know and every preconceived notion I've ever had about the way I deserved to be treated.  I'm thankful for that.