Love Lounge: In The Fast Lane.

I suppose I should preface this by saying that I am not a Holy Roller. I’m simply a girl who stands by her convictions and is comfortable with her old-fashioned ways. And over the last few months, I’ve caught a few glimpses of the woman I don’t want to become someday.
Is it just me, or are couples moving too damn fast these days? And yes, I’m aware that makes me sound incredibly old-fashioned and prude-ish, but I wear my Prude Badge proudly.

And it’s not just about couples shacking up and moving in together after only dating for a little while that scares me. It’s the very act of labeling yourself a couple with someone else that floors me. A date or two. You become a like a Zombie, completely obsessed with the other person, and BAM, you’re a couple. My gosh, it happens faster than an ATM transaction and more times than Heidi Montag has had plastic surgery.

*Why do so many women let themselves become consumed by love and let it change them? Love should get you more in touch with yourself, right?

*Why would you ever want to change yourself for someone else? You’re not going to find love within yourself through someone else.

*What happened to doing things the old-fashioned way? What happened to letting things develop slowly? You know, getting to know the other person? What’s wrong with creating memories you’ll want to remember 5 or 10 years from now?

Sometimes I just want to scream to people, “Don’t you know how beautiful you already are? Why can’t you have a bit more self-respect for yourself?”
You know those purity rings that say True Love Waits? I don’t have one, even though I wholeheartedly believe in its message. But you know what I’d really like to see? A T-shirt that says Love Takes Time…

I’d love to be with someone. But guess what? I’m not about to change what I love about myself, morals and all, for some person who I just met. I’m not going to abandon my old life for some random new person, either. True, I might have a lot of solitary days ahead of me, but when I do meet the person that wants me for me and nothing more, I won’t have to wonder. I’ll know because, as you know, true love does wait. And anyone who doesn’t want you to wait or doesn’t respect you? Then, damnit, you know that’s not true love. I don’t know about you, but I’m not about to settle for anything less than the real thing. I have too much respect for myself to do things any other way. I hope you do too, friends.
If the other person is worth it, I mean really, really worth it, they’ll respect your needs and desires to go at a pace you feel comfortable with.

That’s beautiful, if you ask me. Where you really get to know the soul of the other person.Why allow things to move so fast, so quickly? If it’s meant to last, it will. Why not slow down and smell the roses along the way? Nothing in this world is more important than taking care of yourself, and putting yourself first. xoxo

[Photos via Le Love and ache]