I recently started watching "The Office". It was a suggestion from multiple friends and co-workers, so I thought I'd give it a shot. I had seen several clips and stills from various funny and sweet parts of the show on social media, so I already knew a lot about the show going in. One of the things I was already pretty much filled in on was the friendship, and later relationship (spoiler but not really, sorry), of Jim Halpert and Pam Beesly. The biggest thing they taught me was this:
It's okay to wait around for the right person.
In my 21 years of life, I have had one serious relationship. It lasted five months. My major friend group consists of three couples and then me. Let me tell you: being the only single person in a friend group where every other person is dating someone else in the group sucks. It's a constant reminder of the fact that I don't have someone in my life like they do.
Then I think back to Jim and Pam. Jim knew the day he met Pam that he was going to marry her. He also knew that she was engaged to someone else for most of the start of their friendship. Yet, he continued to wait because he knew it would work out for him in the end.
In addition to waiting around for her, he maintained a good friendship with her. They were super close co-workers, and that helped build their relationship into what it is today.
Now, I know it's not really wise to idolize a fictional couple and to aspire to be like them, but I do. They were written and performed in such a way that they are very idealistic in terms of how a good relationship plays out. They stick with each other through the good times and bad, and even when things do seem dark, they never lose sight of their love for each other.
That is everything I want in life. I want someone who will stick by me even when things seem the absolute worst. I want someone that I can call my best friend first, before my love and better half. I want someone who will fill a void in my heart.
I know that it's all in the timing, and that's another thing I learned from Jim and Pam. You have to focus on the timing. Right now, the timing may not be right. Six months from now, maybe it will. Maybe two or three years from now. I just have to rely that everything in my life is going to work out the way it is supposed to.
So thanks, Jim and Pam. Thanks for giving me a great couple to watch grow and change. Thanks for inspiring me that it's okay to wait because the person I love most is still out there waiting for me.
