The Category of Excuses Part 2: Love

I am an advocate of love. As you may have read from my previous posts, I love Valentine's Day because it is a celebration of love. I think people who do not think love is amazing are those who do not have it, or fear they will never get it. Those who have been hurt by it may also be jaded, but those with it swear there is nothing better. I believe that love can happen between so many different people, and it is such a positive thing to have in life. Now that I have premised what I'm saying with this, I can get into something that angers me.

I feel like some people use love as an excuse to do bad things to other people. I'll shamefully admit that on the Bachelorette tonight, one of the final three guys admitted that he was breaking things off with her because he was in love with an ex. So many marriages end because one person is so in love with someone else they can't be apart. This always makes me feel sick, especially as someone who believes love is so strong and important. This is because everyone is kind of expected to understand.

When people say that they are doing something to someone because of "love" they are basically playing on the idea that love is above all other things. They believe that "true love" is more important than the vows of marriage, the less powerful love of someone you've been with so long. They think that because people generally see love as being so important, that no one can say, "You should ignore love, and do what would be more responsible." Frankly, I think in many situations, this is actually the case; love is not above all else. In most of these examples, the other person getting hurt also feels love, and apparently their love does not matter.

Love is something absolutely wonderful, but it is not a right. Love is something you can try and achieve, but it is not something that wipes away other people or other commitments. It tarnishes the concept of love when it is used to hurt someone, or to be selfish. To top it off, using it as an excuse because you think people understand how powerful love is supposed to be is really awful. These people should really come out and just say, "I matter more, and frankly if I can be happy, I don't mind that you are going to suffer, at least not enough to do anything about it." Love does not tie your hands, in my opinion. Love does not excuse every wrong. Love would not excuse murder, or physical abuse, but people are expected to buy that it justifies emotional trauma. This always makes me feel sick.

Love is a wonderful thing, and you should look for it wherever you can find it. People should get love when they have the chance, and should accept that they may not be allowed to have it sometimes. Love is often glorified in art and poems, and media, but it does not mean that nothing else matters, really. Life is complex, full of ups and downs, and love is there, and sometimes isn't.

"Honey, I'm sorry. I know we're married, but I'm in love with zombies, and I just want to be with them." .... Not cool.