We’re living in a world of fast-paced technology. We are dating in a time where everything changes around us more often than we change our own underwear (which I hope is at least daily). We’ve grown up during a hyper-active generation and unfortunately, our love lives are taking a toll.

Yes, true love still exists but many people are so blinded by the unlimited options thrown at them daily that they can’t see the benefits of settling down. Never before has it been so easy to meet new people, reconnect with old friends, and stay in touch with exes. We are constantly bombarded with people between Facebook, Twitter, Online Dating Sites (some made specifically for married men to cheat on their wives), and all the other forms of digital communication available to us. It really is no wonder some people don’t see being with just one person as an option.

There has always been temptation. There will always be temptation. The difference is that now it’s at our fingertips, waiting for us to succumb to it. We can meet people a world away or in our own backyard and if ‘taken’ people are bored with their relationships or not as attracted to their partner, well it’s all too easy to find “someone better”. What is someone better? Well, the fact of the matter is that the replacement is probably no better than the person you were with originally, but you just had to upgrade. You forgot about the things that attracted you to your partner in the first place and at the first out, you jumped ship after staying up all night chatting with a new “friend” on Facebook.

We’re greedy. And non-committal. Not all of us but most. We want the best of the best and we want it now. When we have something that’s not as shiny as the next person’s we simply dump what we have and move on to what’s better. Our cell phones are the perfect example. With new models and upgrades coming out monthly a lot of people have a hard time deciding what to “settle” on. Three year phone plans are becoming obsolete because things change so quickly and GASP “That’s much too long; my phone won’t be up to par with the rest in a couple of years!” If we can’t stay committed to a phone for three years, how can we start to comprehend spending forever with someone?

It’s really not as hard as it seems. It’s called appreciation. If you find real love, appreciate it. If you buy a phone that makes calls and sends texts, appreciate it. Know that what you have is a privilege and know that you’re one of the lucky ones if you find true love. When you start dating someone you really like, stop looking for more, for better. When you commit yourself to one person, know that other options may start to come out of the woodwork. You need to see past the shiny glare that other people bring to the table because their shininess will also fade one day too.

Instead of being intrigued by the rest of the fish in the sea, when you already have yourself a great Halibut, get off the water and enjoy what you’re already blessed with. Instead of spending endless time on the internet talking to people you barely know, take time to get to know your partner that much better.  If, starting tomorrow, electricity was no more and cell phones didn’t exist would you be able to settle down with someone? Would you be able to communicate in person with your partner? Would you even know who you are?

We may be dependent on technology but there’s no guarantee it will always be at our fingertips. True love on the other hand, can be. In a world where nothing stays the same, let love be your constant. Don’t let it pass you by because you can’t sit still. You’ll have plenty of time to sit-still in old age…with the person whose dullness looks shiny to you. Love can survive technology, but only if we start understanding that the only things we need to upgrade are ourselves.

Connected and in love,
The Love Hawk