I'm not gonna lie, I have a pretty amazing love story. But, just like everyone thinks they have the best mom, everyone thinks their love story is the best and that's healthy. Super duper healthy. Everyone's love story is unique to their place in life, their personalities, their quirks and flaws, their likes and dislikes, and their world-views.
Working with youth for the last 8 years and being married for the last 2 of those 8, I've seen the pitter-patter of progression in relationships a thousand times over. I've giggled with many a friends whose relationships were blossoming and ugly cried with those whose relationships had ended.
But one thing I have encountered in the last two years I never saw coming, was what I call, The Instant Distraction of Comparison in new relationships. It went something like this:
Girl in 3 week old relationship: "Hey! So how long did you and Ty date before you got engaged?"
Me: "Well, we only dated for 4 months, but we'd known each other for 2 years."
Girl in 3 weeks old relationship: "Wow, so that was fast. Yea, I think I'm gonna marry this guy."
Me: "Wait, no, that's not what I said. We knew each other for a long time first. How long have you known him?"
Girl in 3 week old relationship: "Umm, well we met this Summer, so maybe like 2 months. But I totally think he's the one."
You see, they never hear the 2 year part. They only hear the 4 month part.
T o b e c o n t i n u e d . . .
