Love is one of those things where your relation to it largely depends on where you stand and your point of view.
Perception is everything as some people report feeling lonely and unloved while in a committed relationship or in a room filled with friends while others feel fulfilled with just loving themselves or that one thing that grabs most of their focus, be it a partner, their passion in life, a pet, or a child under their care.
It’s muddled by today’s sometimes too on demand world…in fact, while writing that last paragraph above I got a notification from Bumble, one of the myriad of dating apps available that I really really should pay them for a premium account in case I am missing out on meeting the love of my life, which in my case might be my cat, and I’m pretty sure she is not on Bumble.
There are ups and downs to that last confession as although my cat will never be ready for date night or dinner and dancing, neither will she lie to me about how much that new food dish cost or get into spats with me, or worse than that, finding another Human has been giving her treats and belly rubs while I’m out.
If I’m honest I’ve never reached contentment with my place (or rather my lack of one) in the romantic and dating sphere, I’m more like the male version of one of those women you see in movies and TV shows who feels time is running out for her to find the ‘one,’ the love of her life…well, like that minus the actual dating and misguided sexual romps those protagonists usually get up to.
In my case it’s more like I’m dating my Xbox and my ‘romps’ are to see what’s in the fridge at three a.m. on a Saturday.
Admittedly it does get old, I hate being the only one steering the ship of life solo a lot and I did really want a family of my own, something already in the rearview mirror pretty much at my age and one that becomes more impossible with each passing year, something I really can do nothing about.
There are upsides too of course, I don’t have to worry about trying to find the perfect Valentine’s Day gift or worry about any of that belly petting or any other bits of the darker, more hurtful sides of dating breaking my heart.
Again, it’s all based on perception and how much you let it get to you, as well as how much you push yourself to find things to love in your life, be it by yourself or with a chorus singing your praises as you go.
Take care, as the world tries to sell you on it all too, they’ll tell you to search for it, pray for it, buy this brand of jeans or cologne or you’ll never get it, but that’s nonsense.
It’s there, it just depends on what exactly YOU define as love and what YOU do in fact love, be it your art, your partner, that lovely cat, or, despite cliches, once you find love within, you may find it without the nonsense the outside world lays at the doors of love.
