Supportive Relationships

I was downstairs eating dinner and the T.V. was on so I heard about Valerie Harper (actress) who has terminal brain cancer in which doctors gave her a 3-month window to live. The segment talked about how her husband has handled it and how he's been so supportive since day one. The camera kept panning over to the husband watching her while she was being interviewed. The look in his eyes was something hard to describe and even see. I got teary-eyed because I could just see the love and admiration he had for his wife and to me, seeing that is so rare. It's hard for me to be a believer in lasting relationships because I feel like in most cases they fall apart because people screw it up. So seeing the expression he had spoke so many words about his genuine love for her. 

So this led me to some thoughts I've had before...

I sometimes think about things like, "what do I want in a relationship?" besides the obvious like honesty, trust, love, etc. Usually I get to thinking that one big thing I'd want is to have a mutually, super supportive relationship. I'm not talking about supportive like, "Yes, I support your idea" or "I support your goals/decisions/ambitions/etc." I'm talking about both the people in the relationship lift each other up, motivate each other, keep each other going, remind each other of the goal that is at the end of all the stress & hard work, and bring each other up when one is feeling down or losing hope. And it can't just be about talk, it  has to be shown. I just feel that in a relationship, you should be your significant other's biggest fan and supporter. It's almost like a team effort. One person has the assist, while the other person gets the shine for the shot and vice versa. You both help each other out. I think in order for it to work, it can't be a one-way street; it has to be mutual. I don't know, that's just me. I just know this is something I find admirable in couples and it's something I'd want in a relationship and something I'd hold up on my part of the relationship as well.

Battles vs. The War

I've felt really overwhelmed and have had a lot on my mind today. For example, I just want to go back to college and then I'm thinking like "what's wrong with me?" I just got a new full time, salary job in January and already I think of my next step, but that's how I am. I've said it before, but I can never stop. I can't settle. When I get somewhere, my mindset is automatically like, "Ok, what's next?" It's not that things are crappy for me right now, because they aren't. Things have been pretty great for me this year because of my hard work and determination. I got a big girl job and got a new car all with my own money. All these big changes are coming at me since graduating college last April. With all this, I still get those moments of feeling bummed because I want more and I want it right now. I don't mean that I just want it all handed to me; I'll work hard for it, but I just want to figure it all out and do it NOW! Realizing it doesn't work that way gets frustrating, especially after days like today. 
Then I had an epiphany in the shower (where I usually have epiphanies). I thought about how there are many battles you have to face in life, some worse than others. You have to deal with those battles and fight in them, and you'll lose some, but what's important is winning the war. The battles helped strengthen you and prepare you for the big war. So yes, I may lose a lot of battles in life, but I am damn certain I am going to win the war. 

Therefore, I was reminded of why I shouldn't really be too worried because of a conversation I had with my dad. When I was graduating college and wasn't sure what path I was going to be on next, I told my dad that I know I'll be successful because of my determination/hard work/drive/focus/motivation, but I just want to be at that point now or know how to get to that ultimate happiness. And my dad said, "So, if you know that you'll be successful, then why are you worried?" So after feeling kind of down today, I reminded myself of that conversation I had almost a year ago with my dad. If I know I'll get far based on my personality traits, then I should just keep doing what I'm doing and have faith in myself. 
I will win the war. There's no other option in my book.