A MESSAGE FROM MY OWN HEART:

To anyone who's reading this,

Whether you're an adult or not, always remember that a lot of the things you read in stories should NOT be the norms you abide by in your own life.

Take this one story I'm going to rant about for example, the "romances" in it are trash. Even if you might enjoy reading it--the reason doesn't really matter--don't choose partners similar to the ones in stories like that one. Some things the love interests do to their romantic partners are crimes punishable by law! They're inhumane things that NOBODY should ever have to go through--be it a child, an adult, a man, a woman, or anything else in between.

Try and find actual healthy romances (in movies, series, books, fairytales,...) to contrast stories like the one that caused me to create this rant diary, because THIS is NOT what real life relationships should be like. Respect, consent, support, care, and so on are the basic pillars of all healthy relationships (romantic or not)!

Just because they do good things here and there and dote on you from time to time, it doesn't mean the bad things they've done to you should be erased, forgotten and forgiven. What says they won't/can't do it again? Don't ever just continue on with your life thinking that it's okay to do to others or be subjected yourself to whatever--triggering--things you find characters do with their romantic partners in medias. Just because it exists in fiction (and unfortunately, also in real life), it doesn't mean it's normal.

You deserve better.

Know your worth, because you're worth a lot more than you probably think. Respect yourself and respect others. Pursue an actually healthy relationship, with a partner who'll genuinely care for and respect you just the way you are. There's no need to undermine yourself for others. You're precious. You shouldn't allow anyone to make you feel otherwise!

I'm only saying this because I know some people are vulnerable, whether from a lack of life experience, from innate naïveté, or from their own life experiences, while some others, more impressionable ones--younger ones, mainly--might be more easily swayed into believing that such things they're reading in fiction is what they should aspire to find in a partner, or be for their partner(s), just because they've seen it multiple times in media and gazillions of people seem to be gushing over it around the world.

Countless people don't have--or at least they don't think they have--any other choice but to stay in unhealthy, TOXIC--relationships even though they might want out. Don't let yourself be lulled into instinctively normalizing toxic behavior you find in media you consume.

Many authors I've been saying these past few years seem to have a problem pointing out questionable traits in their characters and/or their characters' relationships, be it romantic, familial, professional or others. From how they portray the topics they write about, a good portion of their audience find themselves thinking those are what they should aspire to be or reach.

Some things are toxic, they shouldn't be goals, they shouldn't be idolized.

Please research, learn, and try to figure out what is actually healthy and unhealthy, for yourself and for those around you.

Life is precious. Don't make yours or anyone else's miserable because of misgivings some stories spread about certain subjects.

Sincerely, and with your best interests at heart,

- Morissia

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