What is the difference between need and love?

I am just going to start this out by saying: I have never been in love, not even close. I know, its crazy because it seems like almost every girl my age has been/is in a serious relationship. I am not going to lie, there are times when I feel like I have missed out or that there must be something wrong with me or I should be less picky...yadda yadda yadda. However, recently I have come to realize that even though I am alone, it really can be seen as a blessing in disguise.

I say this because I see so many girls and guys in relationships where they are so dependent on that one person, they can't even function on their own or do anything without their significant other and it kind of makes me sad because if they break up or something happens, it completely destroys them. I guess what I am getting at here is this: it is so important to become your own person and find out who you are before you can ever bring another person into the equation.

I will use myself as an example. If you had asked me a year ago if I was ready for a serious relationship, I probably would have said yes. Looking back from where I am now, I would have been absolutely and 100% wrong. I had no idea what I was going to do with my life or what kind of person I was. Honestly, the only thing I was really worried about was finding a boyfriend and falling in love (the majority of girls my age would probably say the same thing). Sadly, it took an event that would basically end up turning my life upside down to make me realize I needed to figure out myself before I worried about anyone else. I was so naive to the real world and real problems that I was kind of living in a fantasy land. How was I supposed to deal with someone else's emotions if I could barely handle my own?

I see so many people getting into serious relationships in high school (even before) and planning their lives together and everything around each other but what happens when it ends? You are stuck with no idea what to do or where to go, even figuring out what friends were actually yours. Or what if it doesn't end, but when you look back on your experience, you find that you've missed out on so many things while you were planning the "perfect life"? John Lennon had it right: "Life is what happens when you are busy making other plans." It is a scary concept, because it is true.

Now, some may think I am just "negative" or "naive" because I have never been in love so I don't have much to say about it, and maybe that is true. However, I do think it gives me a slight advantage because I have never been clouded by it so I can look at the situation pretty much completely objectively. I have witnessed plenty of relationships and based on my observations, a lot of the core problems seem to be about one (or more) of these things:

1) Codependency

2) Money (I will get into that another time...)

3) Trust issues

The point I really am trying to make is this: It is completely okay to be alone. Go out, have fun with your friends, do stupid things, travel, experience the world! You don't have to worry about finding your soulmate and planning your future right away. Get to know yourself and be comfortable as an individual.

Remember: there is a HUGE difference in needing someone because you love them and loving someone because you need them.