[T]here’s another kind of love: the cruelest kind. The one that almost kills its victims. Its called unrequited love. Of that I am an expert. Most love stories are about people who fall in love with each other. But what about the rest of us? What about our stories, those of us who fall in love alone? We are the victims of the one sided affair. We are the cursed of the loved ones. We are the unloved ones, the walking wounded. The handicapped without the advantage of a great parking space!

-Kate Winslet as Iris in The Holiday

Before I begin this tirade of bitterness, and before you sigh, as College Girl goes off on another rant about being single, let me tell you that this post is not my idea; it is the editor’s. I begrudgingly said I would do it, but only because 1) I have no other ideas for a post at the moment and 2) the nagging of small children for parents to do things is only surmounted by the nagging of parents for older children to do things.

Many of you are familiar with my earlier post, “Why Girls Put Guys in the Friends Zone.” It is quite popular; you’d be surprised how many people Google that exact term. You might also be familiar with my not-so-positive recollection of the movie He’s Just Not That Into You, which I despised. Call it salt in a wound, call it too close to home, call it the anger of an irate single person, whatever. I hated it. And I will fill the following with as much shaking-of-fist at the heavens and asking-why, as sardonic wit poured into the above-mentioned post. That was cynical; this is acerbic.

So, the issue, quite succinctly, is as the editor posed in “Submit Your Questions for God.” Looking up to the heavens, raised hands, pleading, one says “is it really fair that those we love are free not to care about us in the least?”

Because they can. Apathy. That’s right, worse than hate, the opposite of caring; their eyes, scanning the room, can pass over you like water over wax; all the flurries in your stomach and hopes and interest can go as unnoticed as any single grain of sand lying in amongst billions of others on a beach. Speaking of a beach, those thoughts of the two of you walking down one, flicking that same sand up with your feet and laughing without a care in the world are apparently not going to be fulfilled anytime soon: the person you are watching so keenly has many cares in the world; unfortunately you aren’t one of them.

Of all the cruelties in the world, this is one of the harshest. How, God, how, can we care so much, so ardently, and yet – nothing?

This experience occurs in nearly every chick movie I have ever seen – the archetypal besotted girl, desperately tries to get him to notice her, day after day or year after year. All’s well that ends well, though, as the guy of her dreams sneaks into her life while she is pining for someone else, or the original object of affection has a total change of heart, and, just in time, resolution occurs – “happily ever after.”

But those are movies. Not real life. As much as they create a great diversion, they are a chimera. Furthermore, even if they are based in fact, they aren’t your life. After all, one may have many colleagues who have finally succeeded to find someone to share their days and weeks with; still doesn’t change the fact that your love life as about as interesting and appealing as a wilted cabbage.

So, are we doomed to wander the planet alone – forever? Is there hope? The outcomes of those movies and books and stories from your best friend – could they all elude you? Patience obtains all things, right? I’m sure if we can all live long enough, we can beat the odds; we can beat the total lack of eligible partners, or the total lack of proper communication and the right coincidences conducive to budding relationships. Too bad that, as Inigo says in The Princess Bride, “I hate waiting.”

Being single isn’t the worst thing that could happen to you, though. And, it is one aspect of your life that could take a turn at any moment; who knows who will come around the corner? Be strong, be patient; “after all,” as Scarlett O’Hara said, “tomorrow is another day!”