There is a distinct difference in how a woman who has seen divorce up close and personal loves someone. Whether she has been a child of divorce or if she has personally been through a divorce. Loving a woman who has seen divorce is often times hard, and other times filled with extraordinary moments. She has experienced the arguments, heard the stories, and maybe spent a few nights wishing she was anywhere else but home. Loving a woman who has seen divorce is nonconventional, different and sometimes challenging.

When arguments arise, be patient and understanding that this is an environment that you know all too well. When I sit down and really reflect on the times I encountered a disagreement with a significant other I either ran or I fought like hell to show them how much they meant to me. From a partner's viewpoint, you take care of her and love her tenderly, without restrictions and wholeheartedly. Be her confidant and provide open arms when she needs a friend.

It is a firm belief that to love someone, is to see them and allow them to see you be vulnerable. Truth is, love is unprecedented, unpredictable, scary, marvelous but most of all it is without a doubt the most beautiful thing I've ever experienced.

Don't just love her but be in love with her; and if you're not then set her free and be nothing but truthful. See, a woman who has seen divorce up close and personal has a low tolerance for the bull but knows that honesty in a relationship is of the utmost importance. This Is not to say that women who have not seen divorce are impervious to the breakdown of a marriage, but they have yet to experience just how much it changes your outlook on life and love.

I used to sit down and wish that my parents would reconcile, but I think that being a child of divorce changed the way I went about relationships. I didn't settle for the person that didn't deserve my time and I took the time to really recognize what I wanted in a partner. I think the reality is, that women who have experienced divorce in one way or another understand that love is something that shouldn't be taken granted of nor should it evolve into mediocrity. As an adult child of divorce, I am able to better understand what it means to love and be loved by another person.

Let's not sugar coat divorce as this epiphany that women use to recreate themselves. Divorce is ugly, it's not fun and it certainly isn't something people look to when starting their life with another person. But I would be remiss if I didn't mention the good that comes from divorce and how much it has shaped the woman I am today.