Life's Love

I have been surrounded by incredible relationships my entire life.  In my mind, my parents have the greatest marriage on Earth.  I hope to one day, have a marriage that even slightly resembles theirs.  I think this is why most would say that I have incredibly high standards and expectations in relationships, I don't just want to settle for an ordinary love.
My mom often says that my dad is her life's love.  He's the love of her life.  My mom was married and divorced before she met my dad.  She understands what's it like to be with the wrong person.  I feel as though she has taught me so much about the importance of finding your "life's love".  About not just settling for what comes along.
My dad is the most amazing man.  He completely spoils me with love and attention, and I understand that it makes dating me extremely hard.  I realize though, that I would rather wait the next 10 years for the love of my life to come along, than settle and end up in a loveless marriage.  My greatest fear is to wake up one day, years down the road and realize that I made an incredible mistake.
Plus, by waiting.... I still get to dream.

Relationships

I'm blessed because I have the most amazing girlfriends that I can call, anytime of the day and always hear them tell me "I've been there and know exactly how you're feeling".  I know I've said it before, but there was once a time in my life when I didn't have such great girls to consider friends and I'm just thankful to have them!  They're always there to remind me that the grass isn't always greener on the other side, which is what I'm in constant need of reminder.

I was thinking today, actually I've been thinking of this a lot lately.  The thing that I hate the most about ending relationships isn't the heartache, it isn't rejection or hurting someone else, it's simply the loss of a friendship.  I treasure my guy friends.  They can cheer me up like no one else can, and are always there to remind me that "my standards are too high" (ha) or "I might as well just face the fact that I'm going to one day fall in love with one of them" (haha).  It's hard for me to be friends with a guy without them wanting something more, and then if something more doesn't work out I've lost one of my friends.  I HATE this.  Really, I do.  If I could still be friends with all my ex-boyfriends I totally would.  In fact, I am still friends with most of them, but this only comes a long time after we've both gotten over the heartache.  I hate the fact that I lose a friend every time I leave a relationship.  Hate.