No one ever tells you how tricky love can be. Decades of rom-coms, television shows and novels have us all convinced that love conquers all. And once you find the one, your life will be smooth sailing from there on after. Nothing can be farther from the truth! Love is tricky, complicated and messy. That is the part no one ever tells you. That's why it's a good idea to find someone who is clear eyed when it comes to matters of love. Love isn't about getting lost in each others' eyes but rather about sharing chores and hearing your partner vent about their bad day -- even if all you want to do is catch the latest game.
A practical person is careful when it comes to love. At no point, do they rush in blindly. But once they are in, they are in it for the long haul. In some ways, a practical approach to love leads to the most durable of love stories.
Love is rarely is a fairytale
We all think, when we finally meet the one, that each moment will be magical. They will drop everything for you at a moment notice. They will anticipate your every need. They will never disappoint you. You will always be their first priority. Such fantasies rarely come to pass.
In reality, romantic getaways will be few and far in between. You have to scream every time you want to make yourself heard. You have disappointed each other so often that it barely registers anymore. Yet despite all of this, when it truly matters, you are there for each other no matter what. Only someone who is realistic about love can weather all storms and still be there for you.
Love isn't always fun
We all have our bad days. Not every day of being in love will be magical. Being in love means doing things your partner likes even if you personally find them distasteful. It also means putting up with various things you find repulsive -- such as dirty dishes or drinking straight from the milk carton. You will have shouting matches so loud that your neighbors end up calling the police. You try to hurt one another in the worst ways possible. Sometimes you are so focused on one-upping the other that nothing else matters. They will be plenty of times when you question why you are with this person in the first place. But a realistic individual knows that, in love, you take the good with the bad. They know that no matter how bad things get, you need to keep trying.
The love of your life can and will fail you
We have so much expectations from our significant others that it is a wonder our relationships don't crumble under the weight of those expectations. In the good times, we promise each other the sky and the moon. During the bad times, we are brought crashing back to reality. But what to do? The language of love is spoken in grand gestures and tall promises. Anything other than eternal devotion is seen as a sign of non-commitment. But the practical individual takes all such promises with a grain of salt. Love is less about singing medleys in the rain and more about reminding each other to carry an umbrella when it's raining out.
Two people will fail each other in a hundred different ways before the end of the day and still get up next morning determined to bring that number down to ninety. That is not to say that even the most practical of individuals doesn't have a tipping point.
Physical conflicts, emotional abuse or a sudden emptying of the bank account will have even the most pragmatic of individuals out the door. At some point, no relationship is worth salvaging, and you just have to walk away. But one who is sensible about love will consider walking away a last resort. Who knew a person practical about love is a better fit for a relationship than any fairy tale character?
So ask out that sensible guy in the Accouting department. He might not sweep you off your feet, but you are still in for one hell of a ride.