Love. It’s a word that’s been bandied about by many mouths; many, many mouths. Love is something that is hard to understand. There are numerous types of love. Family love, friend love, romantic love, etc. It is no wonder people say it so many times. It’s also no wonder why many people don’t believe in teenage love.
Love is so over used. It’s not because people don’t feel something that they get confused about love. It’s because they don’t understand what they are feeling. Many say that teenage relationships are just “infatuations” or “lust”, but I have a serious, teenage relationship and I completely disagree. I believe that many teenage relationships are that way but not all of them. Teenagers are extremely fickle, and it is very difficult for them to be with the same person for long periods of time. In a way they have relationship ADHD. The reason for this isn’t a lack of capability to love at their age but a lack of maturity. This is, of course, only in most cases. There are relationships that last long periods of time. I, for instance, have been in mine for 1.5 years in May 2012. I’m not bragging on myself and I’m not looking for congratulations, I’m simply using me as a reference point.
When people say “I Love You” the implications of the words don’t really sink in to most. A lot of the times the person isn’t even comfortable with saying it. They do it because their partner expresses it, peer pressure, or they feel like they have to. These are all completely ridiculous. People will say, “Peer pressure to say ‘I love you’? That never happens.” They are wrong. It does happen. Once again, I will use me as an example. After I had been dating my boyfriend for about 2 weeks a girl came up to me and asked me if we loved each other yet. I was appalled. Love, after two weeks? I replied, “I don’t know him well enough for that yet.” Which was totally true. Saying I love you without having sufficient time to develop and try to understand the feelings isn’t right to yourself or your partner. If you don’t understand yourself what you are thinking how can you expect them to feel the same way or appreciate it?
Teenage love is not nonexistent. Rare? Yes. Difficult? Yes. Impossible? Definitely not. Love is possible at all ages and it shouldn’t be categorized as such brutish desires like lust and infatuation. Love is a beautiful, beautiful thing and should be treated as such. Teenagers CAN love, but they can also not understand love. This is what creates the misnomer.
I believe in love. I believe whole heartedly and fully. I say, why not? Why not believe in the magic? But I also say don’t believe in the butterflies and stars. “Sometimes love isn't fireworks. Sometimes, love just comes softly.”- Love Comes Softly (movie)