Don't get me wrong, I'm strongly against the way marriage was viewed back then; women were considered stubborn if they had the audacity to refuse ANY marriage proposal, because who are they to reject a man who intended to provide for them and save them from the embarrassment of being an old maid? What I am saying is that I'm not very proud of the way relationships are carried out today, either.

As early as kindergarten, I can remember girls talking about their crushes on certain boys, who of course showed no interest. I blame Disney for putting images of that Prince Charming riding in on his white horse to save the girl from everything wrong in her life; he'll make everything better, and they'll live happily ever after. Wrong. Chances are he'll ride in, take everything you're willing to give, and make his exit before the sun goes down.

I'm not writing this because I'm bitter about a relationship gone awry. I'm actually quite content in that area. I feel like I finally have my priorities in order, and "boyfriend" falls pretty low on that list. I'm more concerned about my friends, and what I've been a witness of since around 5th grade. There is such an emphasis put on always being the object of someone's affection that being in a relationship is the most important thing in some people's lives. It's viewed as a primary source of happiness. Don't get me wrong, I love dating and hoping it turns out for the best, but if it doesn't turn out the way I want it to, I let it go, I re-evaluate the situation, and I move on. It is not the end of the world. I actually find it much more comforting to surround myself with friends and my tiny family. If you choose your friends wisely, they will always be there, unlike whatever boy you think might be worthy of your time. And when he (or she. Sorry I've been biased.) disappears, it makes the recovery period a lot easier if you have friends to fall back on. The best times I've had in my life have been with my friends, which is why they rank pretty high in my priorities.

The most scary thing to me is seeing amazing people question what they have to offer because of failed relationships. People I've held in the highest regard have fallen into despair because they feel as if they're not good enough. I believe when it's come this far, it's time to start looking at what's really important in life. Are we a generation of women only taking part in what makes us more appealing to men? Are we basing our lives and how we spend our time around finding a relationship? I'm not going to say I haven't been guilty of this to some degree at some point in my life, but it's not something I'm proud of. Are you?