Let me make one thing clear: I used to hate Valentine's Day. I used to think it was an overrated, glorified holiday exclusively for people in relationships or people who are married.
Now I don't think that anymore.
I'm still single, but I realized that Valentine's Day is about love, and this love can also be shared with family, not just a significant other.
But my heart is already taken. By who, you ask? A girl. That girl. A girl who makes me feel like Superman. The name of this girl is Allie. But there is just one problem: the timing is all wrong.
She is in graduate school, and I'm barely out of undergrad, despite us being the same age. She works a lot of jobs and she student teaches, so with work and school, she is always busy. I'm always busy as well, with school, two part-time jobs and maintaining active status in my fraternity Beta Upsilon Chi.
Despite the timing being all wrong, these are all the reasons why I am waiting for Allie until we are at a place in our lives where we can date:
1. We have common interests
From Harry Potter to University of Kentucky basketball, she and I are alike on a lot of things.
2. She is a Christian and she goes to church
For someone who is a Christian, it is an absolute necessity to choose a romantic partner who worships the Lord just as much as you do. I've learned through personal experience that if your religious preferences don't match up, the relationship will never work.
3. She is someone I can talk about anything to
There are few people in my life that I can talk about anything to. Usually, I have to censor myself and refrain from talking about certain things to certain people. Allie isn't one of those people. She is there to hear all my complaints, my insecurities, and my doubts. She is also there in the happy times as well. As a human being, you need someone you can just talk about anything with.
4. She isn't judgmental of my family and how they are
Let me tell you, even though I love them more than life itself, my family is really crazy, especially my parents. But someone who puts up with your crazy family is someone you need around for the long haul.
5. She understands the issues I have both relationship-wise and mentally
As someone who has mental disabilities, people usually don't understand entirely the gist of what I'm going through. I have ADD, ADHD, Tourette's, bipolar disorder, PTSD, and moderate depression.
I also have trust issues when it comes to relationships because I've been cheated on before. She understands all of my issues and I love her more because of that.
6. She gets my wacky, crazy, sometimes dark humor and has a sense of humor
Let me tell you, once I am comfortable with you, I'll start being wacky and in a joking mood with you. Find someone who can play around with you like that.
7. Lastly, she likes me for the man I am
With Allie, I never have to put on a facade to make her like me. She likes me for the dorky, wacky, geeky person I naturally am. She understands my values and things I hold dear and she values them.
Allie will be graduating from grad school in May. And I've been talking to her since November 3, 2016. The time I'm waiting for her is worth it because she and I will be together eventually.
Meanwhile, I can focus on loving myself and getting myself ready to be the man she wants to be with.