Every Love Story Is Spotlight-Worthy

Every Love Story Is Spotlight-Worthy

Over the past three and a half years of my writing journey, I've been fortunate to meet so many people in person and online. I've had so many wonderful women join me in celebrating real, genuine love stories. Along the way, I've come to realize that so many of us don't realize one thing: Every single one of our love stories is magical and novel-worthy.

That's not to say our relationships are perfect. Far from it. If you know my husband and me, you know we fight a lot. We are often caught in the grocery store in a heated battle about snacks or ribs or something equally as ridiculous. We struggle with adulting, and we sometimes have different visions for our lives. 

Our life is also far from glamorous. Most weeks, we spend our evenings watching Netflix, playing video games, and eating the simplest foods we can microwave because we're just too lazy to cook anything. Date nights usually involve staying in or hanging with our mastiff, Henry. Candles, rose petals, and fancy getaways just aren't in the cards for us right now.

When I started writing love stories, I knew I wanted to see my own love story in the pages of books. I wanted to read about realistic couples who went on simple dates, who dealt with budget issues, and who didn't always have glamorous lifestyles. Sure, it's fun to read about the alphas who can whisk away their women to one-of-a-kind adventures. But for some of us, that's just not reality. I wanted to write love stories that showcase reality... and prove that love of all kinds can be beautiful.

Along the way, so many of you have joined in my vision and shared stories of your own journey to love. The thing I've come to learn is this: So many of us have similar love stories, similar experiences with married life, and similar struggles. 

So while it can be easy to discount your own love story and fret about how it pales in comparison to the sexy heroines and heros of romance novels, I think the message is that you have to celebrate your own reality. You have to embrace the journey you are on when it comes to love, no matter what stage you are at.

Whether you're still searching for "the one" or you've found him or her, I think we all need to realize that every single love story is beautiful. It's worth celebrating. It isn't about the size of the ring, the glamour of the dates, or the perfect moments you collect. Sometimes what makes a love story magical are the struggles, the trials, and the fact that even when things are falling apart around you, one look from your person makes you feel like it's all going to be okay. It's about how you love each other even when you're both sweaty and your makeups melting from a broken air conditioner and 100 degree weather. The beauty of love happens in all of the little moments that don't make it onto the big screen in Hollywood--the simple dinners, the memories, the inside jokes, the play.

I am so glad you are all here to share in your journeys to love, no matter what that looks like. I'm so glad we have a place we can be candid about what love and marriage look like.

Most of all, I'm so thankful that I'm not alone in believing that all love stories are beautiful, noteworthy, and magical in their own way.

I hope this week you can think about the magic of your own journey to love, no matter what that looks like. I'd love to hear about your own love, too, so feel free to hit comment below or join the conversation on Facebook.

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