A lot of people dream of growing old with someone. Of celebrating 30th anniversaries, raising kids, and sipping coffee on the porch with wrinkles and stories. But what many don’t realize is that kind of love doesn’t just happen. It’s built — with time, intention, and a lot of work. People often ask me, “Why are you still single?” And the truth is, I haven’t been single all this time. I’ve dated. I’ve tried. I’ve loved. I’ve been hurt, and I’ve hurt others too — not intentionally, but through mismatches, misunderstandings, or just meeting each other at the wrong seasons of life. Some labeled me, some I labeled in return. None of those connections led me to the one.
But here’s what I’ve come to understand after all these years: there is no “right person” waiting perfectly at the finish line. There’s only the person you’re willing to go through the hard things with. The right person isn’t a checklist — they’re the one you choose, again and again, even when it’s hard. Especially when it’s hard. I’ve seen how the couples we admire — the ones who’ve been together 30, 40, 50 years — aren’t where they are because they never fought or got tired. They’re there because they fought through it, and chose forgiveness more times than we’ll ever know. They chose patience. They chose to learn, unlearn, and try again.
Love is beautiful. But it’s not effortless. It’s messy. It takes honesty. It takes time. It takes two people willing to grow, to meet in the middle, and to give each other space to be human. And maybe I haven’t found that kind of partnership yet — but I’m not waiting for perfect. I’m waiting for possible. For someone who’s ready to build something real.
Because real love isn’t found. It’s created — slowly, daily, together.