#relationshipgoals

By Rachel Quinio

 

Celebrity couples give us hope; if they are able to harbor happy relationships in their perfectly curated lives, we can too. Deep down, we want to believe in fairy tale endings, but do they exist?

From the Beckhams to Jayoncé to Taylor Swift and every eligible man in Hollywood (let’s be real, who hasn’t Swift dated), tales of celebrity couples litter the internet.

Beyonce’s album “Lemonade” captures a breaking point in her relationship with Jay Z; it helped me through my last break-up. B got me.

She nailed it. I felt everything she felt; went through the same sense of trusting instinct, betrayal, sadness, denial, hope and love.

My situation didn’t end quite like “Lemonade;” we are no longer together. No happy ending, no redemption.

Despite my preoccupation with personal dating disasters, I find myself glossing over page six, checking up on what’s going on with the rich and famous.

Watching their endeavors is like watching reality TV in real life. We relate to celebrities by seeing ourselves in them and becoming emotionally invested.

Since celebrities are scrutinized by the public eye, we feel connected to the lives of strangers. Sometimes, we even think we know what’s best them.

Celebrities become real life versions of the characters they play on TV, in movies and in videos. The ups and downs of their relationships evoke reactions from us.

For me, Brangelina was that ideal couple; their split left me heartbroken.  Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie had it all.

They had what looked like an ideal family, with a diverse array of adopted and biological children.

Both aided in philanthropic contributions that helped the world through their involvements with organizations such as The United Nations Children’s Fund. Jolie was appointed Special Envoy in April 2012 at The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

They were able to pursue shared creative passions and retain independence as individuals. Not to mention they are both beautiful.

They were the power couple. I admired them, lived vicariously through their relationship.

Then it all fell apart. Jolie filed for divorce in September 2016, citing irreconcilable differences. Not cool, Brad.

I mourned the loss of Brangelina like it was my break up. I guess I had this feeling that if they couldn’t do it, what chance do I have?

We attach our relationship goals to celebrities who seem like shinier versions of ourselves, but in reality they are us.

We put them on a pedestal and find solidarity in their love affairs. Glamor aside, celebrities are human and go through the joys and pains of the heart just like us.

 

They are not immune to the same heartache, temptation and struggles. Love humanizes these idolized figures; it creates a connection between us and them.

Movies are movies and it is unfair to expect people to embody these stories in their personal lives. Projecting idealized expectations of an unflawed, unconditional romance onto both celebrity couples and ourselves sets us up for disappointment.

Relationships are about mutual growth and overcoming obstacles.

That’s what makes them perfect: the imperfections.