"We Think Alike"

I love classic movies.

There is something to be said about old movies, the plots, the wardrobe budget, the language, it all appeals to the film-critic side of my personality.

One of my favorite films of all time is Gone With the Wind. I've always related to Scarlet O'Hara, she's loud, pushy, ambitious, and thinks she's always right. I could have been her in a past life.

In the last year, my life changed significantly. My little brother left on his mission, and I moved out of my parent's house about a week later. I began attending a single's ward and suddenly my dating status was the object of my stress-fests. Through the stressors, the best thing about the changes was finding Meredith.

We became the best of friends and began doing everything together. We had finished a 5k during the summer and were eating breakfast quesadillas back at my house when she mentioned that she'd never seen Gone With the Wind.

I decided to remedy that fact and we watched it right then.

We loved it to pieces, commenting throughout about relationships, courting, and wardrobe choices.

Meredith began dating someone a little while later, and she referenced a line from the movie incessantly. The line was "We think alike." While her relationship with that particular guy didn't progress past a few weeks, she still references that line from time to time. She said it about a week ago when we were at a dinner activity, and it popped into my mind again this morning during my Yoga class.

A longtime friend/former love interest of mine recently announced their engagement, and I was having a really challenging time dealing with my residual feels and the everlasting sting of rejection that accompanied my conversations with him. However, when this reference popped into my head while I was doing sun salutations.

Ashley Wilkes was the boy next door for Scarlet, she was determined to have his love and even after he married Melanie Hamilton she still sought after his affections. He told her that Melanie was the one for him because she and him thought alike. She was completely distraught, and went through two marriages before finally marrying Rhett Butler. Rhett was perfect for her, because they were so alike they could've been the power couple of the Southern Post-Civil War era.

Yet, Scarlet screwed it up.

She couldn't let go of this man who was so wrong for her, and she lost the perfect man for her because of it. As much admiration as I harbor for Scarlet, I've always thought less of her for not being grateful for who was right in front of her.

I was suddenly over my heartache.

I don't want to let dwelling on "what could have been" prevent me from tapping into my potential for the now. Especially when it comes to relationships. I don't want to overlook what's right in front of me because I can't let go of the past.