relationships are

all about give and take (or so they say), about having ups and downs, and apparently about never having to say you're sorry!

well i'm not sure i believe that! give and take - well, my view is, if it's the right person then it won't feel much like a compromise (as i think that's what give and take means in this context)....never saying you're sorry, even when you should be and have done something wrong, is just plain taking someone for granted!

loving someone is about accepting them for who they are, about appreciating their differences, about recognising they will do things in a way you might not, about being there for them when they are having a bad day, and knowing they will be there for you when you are having a bad day...

and then there are the ups and downs - the ups are good - problem is if you always have them (which we mostly do) then the downs are downright awful...and no matter how many you have (and thankfully i can count on just 2 fingers the downs that ben and i have had in 9 lovely months together) they always feel awful...

heart breakingly, soul destroyingly, scarily awful...guess they wouldn't be so awful if you didn't love someone with every fibre of your being, so if the only way to avoid them is to not love, then it's not worth it!

being in love, being loved and loving someone are well worth the occasional pothole in the road we call life...

i love you ben parkes!