Settling Shouldn't Be an Option

I just finished this book called "A Total Eclipse of the Heart" by Zane and it really made me think about some things. The book focused around 2 separate couples who had nothing to do with each other and gave a description about their relationships. The first couple was Brooke and Patrick and they had a very weird but common relationship. Brooke was in love with Patrick and Patrick claimed that he loved her as well but he had a weird way of showing it. He disrespected her by calling her all sorts of things like bitch, fat, sloppy etc... whenever she didn't do things he wanted her to do and he never stood up for her when it came to his parents or family friends. No matter how many times he disrespected Brooke, she would leave but she always came back. She even witnessed him sleeping with another woman and she came back to him after leaving for a few weeks.

This relationship is really what had me thinking because its not an unusual scenario. Many women (and men for that matter) find themselves in this predicament where they know that they are in an unhealthy relationship and that they do deserve better, yet they continue to stay with their significant other. In the book Brooke's friend makes a comment that all men step out on their ladies at some point in the relationship and you just have to accept the fact because it is inevitable. I don't know how many women actually believe that, but I know I wouldn't stand for it. I don't think all men cheat, although a majority do, I do think there are men out there that are faithful. As for women that actually believe that they should just accept the fact that their man is cheating on them and just turn the other cheek, news flash, you need to move on. I don't think anyone should feel that they need to stay in a relationship because they can't do better or anything. There is someone out there for everyone and just because a relationship isn't working out doesn't mean that you need to stay in it to just wait and see if things will get better. You can't change someone if they don't want to change for themselves.

Brooke kept going back to Patrick believing that she would never find a man better than him, but once she finally doing something with her life, she realized that she could do better and ended up with a better man who respected her.