20somethings + relationships - A Guest Blog by Alexandra Orlando
After reading so many of my good friend and Canadian Olympian Nicole Forrester’s incredible relationship blogs (http://www.nicole-forrester.blogspot.com/), I’ve decided to voice my own opinion on love and living the single city girl life in Toronto. Why is it that when you reach a certain age all of a sudden people are so concerned with why you don’t have a significant other? When you’re younger no one cares whether or not you’ve brought someone home to thanksgiving dinner or winter holidays because realistically they probably won’t be around that much longer.
And then it all changes, but when does that happen? I still can’t figure out the exact moment where my relationship status (now broadcasted on all forms of social media) became such interesting news.
No longer do you get the plus 1 on invitations to parties and your friends begin to set you up with people (the absolute worst). No longer are you in your early twenties and you’ve found that the dreaded three letter word MID that has crept up on you has begun to define the type of life you should be living. Where did you think you would be when you were in your mid-twenties? At 15 I thought I’d be married, incredibly happy and rich with three german shepherds on some great piece of property – um yeah.
Little did I know, life had much more in store for me. Almost ten years later and I’m not exactly where I want to be relationship wise, but I’ve learned a hell of a lot.Well to be clear, I’ve learned exactly what I don’t want – so for all of those who came and went it was all for a reason. I wish I would have seen it like that a little bit earlier, but everyone needs to go through that horrible period of bad dates, even worse break ups and heart aches to finally get it.
Some would call me quite a jaded realist these days and they’re actually pretty accurate. The days are gone when I used to think my knight in shining armour would sweep me off my feet and you could trust someone with your heart with ease. In fact, that word trust gets thrown around so much these days I’m not sure if people really understand the full magnitude of its meaning.
I think that people are so scared of being alone that they hold on to relationships that don’t even work. I was never one to mind being on my own, I enjoyed it. I saw my parents and the love that they had for each other and still have over 30 years later and I could never settle for anything less. That’s trust. That is love.
So what you’re single and in your mid-twenties – to all of you out there don’t stress so much about it. The non-traditional lifestyle is still a great one to live.
Remember that
Alexandra Orlando
2 comments:
Nice blog. Hey though, print your blog and read it every so often and ask yourself the questions what has changed in 1 , 2, 5, 10. months, years in your life. Even in months it can be cool to look back and say to yourself, really was I thinking like that at one point.
Trust is always paramount. Without that base there is no pyramid.
R.
You are young! Days of single build character to share when it is right to be forever.
Great post. I have always believed you need to learn how to be happy with yourself and know who you are before choosing someone to spend your life with. Just having someone is not good enough. You need the right someone.
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