Dancing Men in Shiney Hats

My whole life it's been there. This imaginary concept we brainwash ourselves into believing, if only to feel less alone. Love. From a friend, from a parent, from a husband, or wife. We convince ourselves that love is pure, and wonderful, and whole. Forgiving, and perfect. Nights spent staring at a television screen, watching gushy romance scenes unfold, and wishing, longing for something so beautiful.
I remember when i was little. And everything was beautiful, the world didn't seem bad. Trusting someone seemed commonplace. And loving someone was simple. Easy. But then, i grew up. As we all do, and as the world expanded, the cracks beneath the surface, were revealed. i started to notice all the bad things in the world, all the pain, and the suffering. All the broken hearts, and untrusting people. And i grew a shell. To protect myself. I stopped believing what others said so easily, and started to watch my back every step, trying to protect my heart from more of the scratches it had already endured. And love became this beautiful fantasy. Like childrens' fairytales. Magic. Healing. The one thing that would always be perfect.
But thats not what love is. It is amazing, yes, and beautiful. But it's not pure, or whole. It requires work. And faith. But more than anything, it requires trust. And sometimes it's hard. To let in another person. But i think it's important sometimes, to love. And even though love can get you hurt, it can also make you happier than anything else in the world. So i will keep trying, even though i may still get hurt, i want to keep looking for love. True love. If only to help prove that beauty does exist in this world. Because through love i learned how to be happy. How to be myself. I learned that at the end of it all, it doesn't matter who wins or loses. All that matters is the one person who stayed, just to watch you finish.