This is really a complicated subject to analyze and break down in a few short paragraphs but I'll try:

Speaking from my experience, I'm still trying to figure out exactly where everything went wrong.  Getting out of a relationship of nearly 8 years was one of the hardest decisions I faced, but looking back I now know I did the best thing, maybe not the right thing, but the best thing for the both of us.  Having said that, I tried to understand where things started to go a wry.  As with all relationships, or atleast most, I was madly in love. First three to four years was amazing and every minute seemed like it was heaven sent.  It was almost to the point of blinding, our love for each other.  And in those first few years, I knew she was the one and vice versa. 

Then comes adversity.  This is only natural and happens to every relationship, regardless of age, maturity or patience.  Mine came in the form of monogomy and eventually expectations of what I envisioned would be a perfect relationship/marriage/future.  A friend of mine expressed interest in my then girlfriend, and naturally we're not friends anymore.  This caused a slight tear in the relationship but we worked hard to build back the trust.  In any event, the last few years were not so bad except that we fought, and fought and fought all the time.  Ultimately, she couldn't take it anymore and quite honestly, I was reaching my limit as well.

If you read my last entry, which I know you did, I learned about the simple concept of goals versus expectations.  I know realized that my expectations of her, our relationship and my life were way, way too high.  I'm pretty sure that I would've been less antagonistic and would've compromised much more if I were able to have put things into perspective at that time.  But I didn't and now I'm where I am and she is where she is.  Do I regret what happened?  To some degree it makes me wonder if things would be different now if I had been more patient and not expected so much from her and our relationship but I also see how independent she's become and how strong she is now, so it's hard to say. 

But I do agree with your last statement about fairy tales and creating your own destiny.  Its sad that I'm about to say this but long gone are the days when love would prevail through anything.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not a pessimist but more of a realist.  And I also know that there are relationships that bond solely on love and nothing can break that apart.  But it seems society and cultural values are beginning to change also.  I hate saying this but it seems that love can bring two people together, yet if the circumstances become too difficult - most couples bail.  If it weren't so, why would divorce rates in the US exceed 50%. 

After thinking long and hard about answering your post, the only thing I could really ascertain was that Love has taken a back seat to several factors.  Today life is much more complex.  I'm not equating complexity and hardship.  I'm speaking of complexity in the manner of: equality, technological modernization, and a constantly changing social climate.  Equality, especially womens equal rights, have really changed the outlook on the modern day relationship.  These days women are tremendously more independent than they were just forty years earlier.  Women are able to earn great salaries, speak their mind, and soon may also become President of this country.  Those are tremendous strides that do affect modern day dynamics of relationships between men and women.  These days, women are not looking to be a home-maker and not waiting idly by for a man to come and rescue them, so to speak.  Women these days could do without men for the most part, except for reproduction, some sexual satisfaction, and companionship when lonely.  But who knows, that may change in the future as well.  There may come a time when women decide that they could impregnate themselves through a sperm bank and have several fuck buddies, and that may be content, who knows?  Point I'm getting at is that times are changing dramatically and this is definitely affecting the dynamics of what we formerly knew as Love.  There are many other factors that also strain on Love but I would need another ten to fifteen paragraphs just to begin covering the surface.  Bottomline, Love is still just as strong as it was years ago, but changing ideals and goals have made Love hard to keep as priority number one.  I'm a hopeless romantic at heart and I hope that Love stays stronger than anything but you might be right alyssa, I might have to continue carving out my own destiny and hope that love is the strongest factor in doing so. 

ryc: damn bubbles, you hit it right on the head!  Most people don't interpret wealth as a matter of perspective, instead they think it's all about the bottomline.  Sad if you ask me.  And time, well exactly, you have to spend it in the most efficient way.  As for health insurance, have you seen Michael Moore's Sicko?

ryc:  i would hope that hospitals wouldn't but never having been in that situation myself, i'm not certain.  But if I had to guess, I think if a person were bleeding to death and in a some tragic accident, they would get treated regardless of being insured or not, but if they were diagnosed and needed extensive treatment, and didn't have insurance and no money, then this is where that word "pro-bono" gets so much attention.  Everyone deserves healthcare, and if doctors aren't able to understand that they have the power and the resources to fight our government for what is right, then they all should ask themselves again, why did they become a doctor in the first place.  If doctors weren't so blind to the money and to the clout of being a dr. then they would get their head out their asses and fight our government for a better system.  Not that social healthcare is perfect, but how could you make someone choose which finger to save?  That was quite disturbing.