To The Single 21-Year-Old Whose Friends Are ALL Getting Engaged
"Am I really old enough to have friends that are getting engaged?"
Yes. You really ARE old enough to have friends that are getting engaged. And isn't that just wild? Wasn't it just yesterday where you and your gal pals sat around your basement computer and played club penguin together?
This is that time of life where people are getting into committed relationships, and those people may be some of your friends, or they might be just other people around you. Either way, you notice it. You notice it more than you thought you ever would because of your own relationship status: In love with pizza.
Just kidding, being single is WAY more than being a pizza fanatic. But let's be real. When you scroll through your social media account and see about 10 different posts of people YOUR age getting engaged and you are single as a Pringle, it's very hard to not sulk in feelings of loneliness. I know, I've been there.
So, ladies, these are my words of hope to you. I hope you read these words and feel encouraged to be who you were called to be, not who Instagram tries to make you be.
Do not settle for a guy that you know won't pursue you the way you know you need to be treated just so you can feel on track with everyone else.
Everyone meets their person in different seasons of life and in different ways. In this season of singleness, take time to invest in friendships, things that you are passionate about, and preparing your heart for the one who WILL love you through everything- not just through "engagement season". During the moments where you feel down about not having a significant other, remember this. Your single years were not meant to be used to sit and wait to not be single anymore. You were meant for SO much more, and I believe you can do so much more!
Live your life not waiting for prince charming. Live your life so courageously and intentionally, so when prince charming does come, he comes during a time of your life where you are ready. And while deep inside the green-eyed monster sometimes seeps out, find that place in you that encourages others and tell your friends how happy you are that they found their person. Cheer them on and be the friend that builds them up. When you build up others, your own circumstances seem to get smaller and smaller. And lastly, don't feel bad that you are 21 and you are not dating. As much as the college scene makes this necessary, it's not. It is not what defines you and it is not what is going to set you apart from others. What's going to set you apart is the way you devote your time into your passions and the way you fiercely love your friends and family.
Don't let your single years pass by without doing something that makes your soul flare up with passion. Your person will come at the right season of life. Until then, keep building each other up. Take a break of Instagram if you need to. Sometimes clearing your head of social media can remind you of what truly matters most in life.
