what i've learned about/from relationshps

I don't know everything about relationships, but I have learned a few things over the years.

There are a lot of important pieces of the puzzle that are required for a relationship to work...and I've learned that when you have one of those pieces, it's not always worth it to hang on to the relationship because of that one amazing puzzle piece.

I've learned that it's better to be single, than to be in a relationship that has a couple of the right pieces, but not all of them.

I've also learned that you are NOT ready to be in a relationship, until you are completely OK and happy with being single.  If "being in a relationship" is something that you think about all the time, and completely consumes your thoughts, your probably not ready to be in a relationship anyways!  

Being treated like a "princess" is every girl's dream.  For her man to give her everything (emotionally & materialistically) she ever wanted and more.  For him to be constantly thinking about her and how he can make her happy.  I've been in relationships like that before.  Relationships that if I would have stayed in, I could have probably had anything I ever wanted...and more.  The perfect house in the perfect neighborhood, all the vacations I've dreamed about...and that Suburban full of kids I've always wanted.  But, would those "things" be what would ultimately make me HAPPY.  Absolutely not.    

I could have taken those couple pieces of the puzzle that would have made me some-what "happy" and ran with it.  But luckily I saw that some of the other important pieces of the puzzle, were missing.  All of those "things" would make me look happy on the outside, but they sure wouldn't make me happy on the inside.

Sometimes it's so hard to LET GO.  And...it's even harder to let go of GOOD THINGS.  Things you've always wanted and always dreamed about.  It's even harder to let go of those good things when there isn't particularly anything "bad" that is pushing you away...

Also...I've also learned that as women entering into a relationship, we are to accept that man for who.he.is.  It isn't our job and shouldn't be our goal to change him into who WE want him to be.  That's just now how it works...and it's not even worth the try.  You shouldn't want to be with someone who you want to change.  That doesn't even make sense.  If you want to change him, then you don't need to be with him.

Same for vice-versa.  If he wants to change you...you don't need to be with him.  I've sadly watch this happen to too many people and  

A man's words to a woman he loves and wants to be with should never be degrading.  It's one thing to think certain things, but it's a whole different story to say them out loud.  Words may not seem like something that is "damaging" because the damage can't be seen with the visible eye.  Just because he isn't making marks on you physically, where other people can see...doesn't mean he's not making marks on your heart.  If he's making marks on your heart, then it should be good marks not bad ones!!!

I could go on...but I'll stop there.  I'd love to hear different things that YOU'VE learned about and from past relationships!  We all have different paths and different relationship experiences.  I've found that I've learned more from living through MY relationships, rather than learning things from my friends' relationships.  We all have to make our OWN mistakes and learn from them, I guess you could say!