Letโs face it, relationships are hard.
They take constant effort, continual upkeep, and never-ending devotion.
At 27, Iโve been in a handful of relationships, but none of them have been longer than about a year and a half.
So much of what I know about relationships isnโt founded in the lessons that you learn after long-term love affairs.
Iโm more familiar with the fights and the break-ups and the getting-back-together.
But what I have learned from my short and sweet relationships is that if you are going to make something last, you are going to need to commit everything you have to it.
There is no being-on-the-fence or considering other people as potential matches.
Itโs got to be all or nothing.
For one little girl, she is convinced that she has found the one.
And his name is Jared.
But when she tries to tell that to her dad, he isnโt so happy to hear it.
As her mom films her, the little girl says to her apparent boyfriend, โHi, Jared.โ
When her mom asks who Jared is, the little girl answers with complete assurance, โMy boyfriend.โ
Thatโs when dad chimes in.
โYou donโt have a boyfriend.โ He says.
The little girl isnโt happy to hear this and she responds to her dad by telling him that she does in fact have a boyfriend.
But dad wonโt budge on this one.
Once again, he tells her that she doesnโt have a boyfriend.
At her age, this news is a little crushing.
She starts to cry and consider the reality that maybe, just maybe, she doesnโt actually have a boyfriend.
She may very well be experiencing her first heartbreak.
But when her mom asks her why sheโs crying, she brings back her strong reserve and explains to her mom whatโs going on.
โDaddy says I donโt have a boyfriend.โ She says.
โBut you do have a boyfriend?โ Her mom asks.
The little girl shakes her head, gaining more confidence.
โWhatโs his name?โ her mom asks.
โJared.โ She responds, feeling sure of herself.
Her dad tries one last time to tell her that she doesnโt have a boyfriend but she wonโt hear of it.
โI do,โ she says while giving him her strongest look.
In the end, however, her dad seems to win the day as he reminds her, โYouโre not allowed to have a boyfriend.โ
This seems to get through to her and although she tries to tell him no, eventually she breaks down again.
Although this cute little girl is far too young to understand what having a boyfriend really means, based on how hard she fought for the boy that she likes shows that sheโll make a great girlfriend one day.
Thereโll be no back and forth with her, no one-foot-in and one-foot-out.
This is good because according to McKinley Irvin, โ42-45% percent of first marriages end in divorce.โ
And if she doesnโt want to be a part of that statistic, then sheโll need that all-or-nothing attitude.
So if any of you out there are struggling with a relationship of your own, just remember this little girl.
Always give your relationship the effort that it deserves and donโt be afraid to fight for what you love.
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