Relationships Are NOTHING Like Love Songs

God, I wish someone had told me this growing up. It would've saved me so much trouble.

Every little girl around the age of 9 or so starts to find her musical identity, in that she finally starts to pay close attention to what music is playing around her, form her own opinion and find her likes and dislikes in musical taste. And not too many girls out there have bypassed falling victim to a lovely ballad or two by whatever chart topping pop diva is belting out at the moment. We all at some point discover that music has a purpose other than lightening up the mood at the mall during the Christmas rush..

But no one ever tells their little girls that yes, that is a beautiful song, yes she's singing about the joy of being in love but no, no honey, real love is not like that, not all the time. NOT...EVEN...CLOSE....

Falling in love is probably the number one priority of all little girls when they finally discover boys and the music they listen to gives them false hopes that all men are like the men their favorite artist sings about. Granted, at one point in the beginning of any new relationship, when one finally falls in love with their new partner, life can seem like any number of love ballads you hear. Life seems like its all roses and sunshine when you are in love, but ballads give us a false idea that once you fall in love your relationship is always going to be like it is in the beginning. As an adult, I now know better.

Even in the best of relationships couples fight, they argue, sometimes they split up and reconcile. But rarely is it ever a skip through the meadow for years on end. I don't think I've ever met an older couple that admitted they NEVER fought. All couples fight and sometimes you get a bad apple who likes to hit and degrade you and treat you like garbage, hardly a love song romance at all.

In all reality relationships are a job. They require constant upkeep and continuous maintenance to stay healthy, strong and happy. They are never a breeze. We should be giving our daughters a realistic sense of what a proper relationship is like. The compromise, the sacrifice, the joy and the pain. There will many frogs in your life before you find your prince. Love does not just fall in your lap. It does sometimes sneak up on you and surprise you, and then its beautiful, but it is never handed to you on a silver platter, nor is it ever easy...