Love: The Unrealistic Tale

Romance is one of the most popular genres of media in history. From the millions of novels sold each year to the thousands of tropes found on television revolving around love, romance is a tale as old as time. The prince defeats the villain, gets the princess, and they live happily ever after. 

 

While this idea of a perfect, happily ever after love story is captivating, people need to recognize that real-life love isn’t a mirror image of these fairy tales. Rather, these stories can lead to the reality that the expectation of society for love is flawed. 

 

Storybooks often paint love as the ideal experience, where conflicts are quickly resolved and the passion of this perfect couple never fades. Yet, real-life relationships are marked by issues that test the bond between two individuals. 

 

There are many who believe in the notion of soulmates. The red string theory is the belief that when someone is born, there's an invisible red string that connects that person to their true soulmate. At last, real love is confined to this singular string between two individuals.

 

Mrs. Richardson, the librarian for Washingtonville High School, believes in this concept. When asked, she states “Actually, I think I met my soulmate last year. I was wondering where he was all this time.” Ms. Richardson illustrates that when someone meets their soulmate, “It just feels right. You can finish each other's sentences, know what they need with just a look.”

 

On the other hand, many believe that the idea of soulmates is preposterous. Rather, love is a web of connections between friends, family, and yourself. The complexity of relationships extends beyond a singular fated connection to your soulmate, that love isn’t a straight line but rather twists and turns on a road.

 

Joseph Serafin, a senior at Rochester Institute of Technology, believes in an exchange of love and connections rather than a line of fate. For instance, Joseph comments on his friends with “Love towards friends vary on different levels. With some friends, it means that I [he] will be there for them when they need me [him]. For others, it means that I [he] will do them favors, but overall relationships are more a give and take.” 

 

Love is nuanced and intricate, requiring the trust and respect between two people. It's not just a linear path, but a journey shaped by the choices and experiences of those involved. Embracing these complexities of love beyond fairytale ideals and predetermined strings, allow for authentic connections between people.