Is love greater than life?

This past week has been rather interesting.
Work was slow at the beginning of last week,
then like it usually does, it got super busy.
And it hasn't slowed down yet.
The social life has been just as happening as usual.
Trying not to go out as much, and when I do,
to tone it down a lot more.

Last week though, not sure which day it was,
I had an interesting thought cross my mind,
that I have yet to shake.
I thought, how can I possibly think of all
the failed relationships and think that I will find one
that works, and not just for awhile but forever.
I wanted to know what the percent of lasting
relationships compared to those that failed,
either by divorce or whatever.
I am not talking about just liking someone
and the person just not feeling the same,
I am talking about years of two people
trying to make a life together.
I really want to know statistics.

Surely now, it is much more common for
things to crumble, with divorce being so high.
So why is there a thought still put in almost
every woman... or man, I guess, that there
is one person that will just work and that
this person will never leave you?
I am not at all trying to be cynical, I am
just wondering from a scientific perspective
how often this actually happens.
1 out of 5?
1 out of 10?
1 out of 1000?
How many people have a relationship last?
I want to know what I am up against.

I also want to know why we have been
raised to think unrealistically about the situation.
I know people start every relationship hoping that
it will be the one to last.
But I want to know, at what point do you realize
you have hit your maximum?

I have technically, in my adult life, loved one person.
Of course it didn't work.
I was devastated for quite a long time.
But I start every other new endeavor
with the idea that this person might be the one
that will not hurt me,
this person might love me until I die.
This person might love me when I am old,
and my looks have faded.
But how often does that happen?
Is this a foolish thought process to have?

My parents are a perfect example
of a lasting relationship.
They are still going strong over 30 years.
They are a great example for my brothers
and myself.
At the same time though, I see so many other
people my age that come from broken families.
Is it enough to come from a family where your
parents are still together?
Or does the fact that someones parents didn't
stay together give them a higher rate of not
having a lasting relationship?

I remember now when these questions
got stuck in my head,
I had just walked out of seeing (500) Days
of Summer. This movie made me think
of someone like myself.
Someone who has a grand idea of love.
Only to be hurt and wonder if anything
will ever come again.
Now I just want scientific evidence to show
me if this is something I should consider.

I am much a fan of loving even if loosing,
but I wonder at what point do you throw your
hands in the air and say, "Enough is enough."
I want to be happy, but being happy doesn't
ride on just someone else making me happy.
I have learned how to keep myself happy.
I just want to know if all these years of being
told that I will be able to trust someone completely
down the line, is something that is true.

Love, in every sense of the word, to all...

C