True Love Stories

I have to admit (I'm going to get up on a soap box for a minute) I take issue with some love stories (aka chick flicks). I watched one recently that the main characters ended up together in the end, seemingly conquering all. But it left something definitely wanting. I can't figure out the thrill of a love story that can only come about with the ending of another one. In the movie, the lead female is unmarried and available. However, our male lead is already married. How can I find joy in the ending of someone's happily ever after, even if supposedly they're starting another happily ever after? I just don't think if the name of the movie was "Married, In Love and Committed... Until Something Better Comes Along" that we would all go running, hoping to see an uplifting movie. But wasn't that the story? Maybe not the story they meant to emphasize, but I saw one woman's hopes smashed. How could I watch a marriage end and then sigh contentedly at the end when the husband was with another woman? And what would make us think the next relationship would last if they weren't even willing to work on the last one? Each had promised before God and man that they were going to hold dear and love through the easy and the hard. Did our supposed hero do that? Did our heroine even think twice when her man left his wife for her? Has that really what we've come to? I would hate to think that the best I could hope for in a relationship--particularly in a marriage-- is for a few years of committment. I know that's not what people think they'll do at the beginning, but how can they justify it after a few or even many years? I knew I found my soulmate when I knew he saw so many of my failings and still chose to marry me. Throughout our marriage we've had some serious differences of opinion. We've had intense arguments. We even went 3 days without speaking one time. I don't tell you these things to brag, to air dirty laundry or even to just spout off. I tell you these things to say that there have been days when I'm not sure I didn't just growl at the sight of my husband. But I think true love stories all have these moments. Those are the times that show our committment, not the easy days. When do our marriage vows or covenants no longer matter? I must have missed the fine print at the bottom that says, "These promises you've made are null and void if you feel boredom, discontentment, anger, frustration or you've 'fallen out of love'".  So I pose these questions: Can we really justify lying to God and man? Do we even feel we've lied when we quit and say, "I'm done"?  Just food for thought... I do have to stop here and say that I'm not one of those people who thinks that no matter what there's no reason to divorce. Obviously when we are being abused, when someone else has broken their vows or things of that caliber, to stay would be detrimental to ourselves and any children that are in our marriage in many cases. But what I am saying is that the idea that "We're not in love" is a ridiculous excuse to call it quits. That you argue, disagree, whatever you want to call your differences, isn't even reason enough in my mind. If you bring two people together who are from seperate families, different cultures, different hobbies, friends, passions, etc, how can there not be conflict and disagreement? How many people who have been married for many years can honestly say they haven't had days, weeks, months and, yes, even years, when their marriage has not been exactly happily ever after? When they have felt that they are no longer "in love" with their spouse? When they are giving 100% and feel like they're getting nil in return? But haven't we all made promises to each other and to God that we would work together and take care of each other through the easy days and the rough years? That means something to me. That should mean something to everyone.

What kind of love story do you want? What are you willing to do to have it?

Okay, that's it. I'm off my soapbox...for now.