breaking up is hard to do. growing up is even harder.

I watched Breaking Upwards last night.

Andy's L.A. trips mean I get full control of the remote and Netflix que. And you know what that means!! → indie romance.

(or Say Yes to the Dress, but I'm out of episodes)

The reviews out there are mixed, but I personally LOVED it. A confused, over-analyzing, city-dwelling "hip" 20-something with a history of long-term relationships (and long-term breakups) myself... I couldn't help but relate.

Love, and the decay of love, is all-encompassing. (Which is why I do not find this film self-indulgent — I find it honest.) I've never seen a film that hit on all the little intricacies of a young relationship. The humor, the jealousy, the fear, the compassion, the accusations, the irritation, the genuine appreciation, the struggle between maturity and unrealistic demands... essentially: the madness.

Probably the reason it feels so genuine, is because the actors play themselves. This is a true story about true people and their true relationship struggles. I'm grateful and amazed that they wrote their experience down, re-lived it through acting, filmed it, edited it, produced it, and shared it with the world. Kudos.

People will take away many things from the movie. As for me, I was able to reminisce. I was able to ache. And to appreciate. All of my past emotional rollercoasters were justified.

Then again, I also came away wondering why the characters thought they had it so bad to begin with. In this over-stimulated, instant gratification, rich, spoiled, westernized world we live in... people forget how to appreciate.

Biking down the same roads every day...? How droll!

Watching a favorite TV show each Tuesday...? Outdated!

Sex with someone who alreadyintimately knows each curve of your body...? uhhh Lame!

To an extent, life (and love is a part of life) is what you make of it. It's easy to get bored. It's also easy to cure your boredom. Just think outside of yourself. And don't blame others for your unhappiness.

I appreciate a lot more these days.

Turns out... that's growing up.