Isn’t it an astonishing idea that our purpose on this earth is to find another person to complete our journey with? From the time we are children society teaches us through movies, music and far-fetched tales that we are destined to meet that one perfect person. It becomes an expectation of our peers to fulfill our obligation to love another soul, thoroughly and successfully.

Between the ages of 17 and 21, there will be many false alarms. You meet an array of people, all offering something of value. Some people offer you truth, they are upfront and honest about their intentions, even if they’re lacking honor. Others may offer you comfort because the two of you share a similar history.

Some souls offer you passion, however, are indeed the unpredictable type of person that your parents warned you about. You are charmed by people who have mastered the art of manipulation, the music of romance and the traits of temptation. Those are the most dangerous pursuers, and ironically, the most popular choice.

Some of us are lucky enough to meet the perfect match for ourselves, yet we’re burdened with meeting them at the wrong time in our lives. There is a painfully predictable sequence of events for this mating ritual.

You meet someone who holds the potential to provide a change of scenery and peace of mind. There is always a honeymoon phase, when you ignore their flaws and pursue the battle for their affection. You begin to face obstacles together, sometimes miniscule and sometimes monumental.

The manner which you overcome these challenges determines the course of your relationship. A simple slip of the conscience during the early stages of your courtship can limit the horizon of the love you thought could eliminate all boundaries. You may learn the hard way that it takes more than adoration to keep a relationship alive.

Meeting the right person at the wrong time is among the simplest of tragedies. What do you do when the one who has become your closest confidant is suddenly a world away? It’s difficult to remain floating in the cloud of infatuation when reality is dragging you down.

The most noticeable change between two lovers is the weight of silence. Think about the silent mornings that you once shared; the sunlight streams through the window, casting an aura around their sleeping face. The air is completely quiet and still, blanketing the two of you.

Their eyes open and you are the first thing they see. No words are spoken —instead you gaze into the depths of each other’s eyes in contentment. Now, imagine a midnight phone call where distress is present in both of your voices.

Distance has increased how vulnerable you feel, and it is evident in the way you react to each other’s decisions. The conversation forges on, and the strides made for each other’s approval is almost humorous. The silence in between responses is heavily-weighted with daily stress, insecurities and jealousy.

Stretches of silence become elongated and dominate the conversation. You feel the empty air in every atom of your body and it forms a residue on your thoughts, causing you to second guess their intentions. Over time, the build-up of this residue clouds your vision and makes it more difficult to find your way back to your perfect person.

Your journey without them begins and you wonder why you ventured into the dating world in the first place. The silence between the two of you that was once a weight now just feels hollow. You’re haunted by memories and the corpse of an envisioned future.

Eventually, you return to your roots and revisit the person you were before you met them. Some days are better than others, ranging from empowering to exhausting. You feel flashes of independence, quickly followed by fits of longing.

You can pour the remains of your faith into one of two moments; the most euphoric moment with your perfect person at your side, or your most self-fulfilling moment, with a whole heart in your chest that still belongs to you.

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