This Can't Be Life...

I am struck by the words of the Jay-Z(et. al.) song "This Can't Be Life". How often do we sit down and really evaluate our lives? Well today I've had the opportunity to really evaluate mine, and I am quite disappointed to say things are not how I would have planned, imagined or dreamed they'd be on the verge of my 32ND birthday. I am a Libra, an idealist...I believe in love, white picket fences and happily ever after. Or at least I did before today....now I am not sure what to believe anymore. I always wanted a relationship, who doesn't want to connect with someone of like mind, goals, morals and dreams...nobody WANTS to be alone. Sadly I can say I've never had that. The 4 men I've ever devoted my heart to, have never been able to give me their hearts in a like manner. Some have given me more than others, but none have given me all. In each case, there was always me and someone else. The first couldn't give me his heart because I wouldn't give him my body, so he chose to flaunt his sexual conquests in my face. The second I actually gave my body too, but I guess it wasn't enough because he sought pleasure from another and ultimately had two kids with her. The third didn't want anyone to know about "us", and me being naive and stupid went along with the scheme...not realizing until it was too late that he needed "us" to be a secret so that his others wouldn't find out. And even after most found out or surmised our relationship I was still never his "girlfriend" until I was on my way out the door. The fourth started as something I never expected to last. I fully intended him to be a temporary fling to bide my time during a hiatus from number 3...fortunately or unfortunately it turned into way more. As a result, here I sit 12 years and 4 kids later wondering how my life turned into this and still no closer to having his heart the same way he has mine. Of the 4 I have to say that number 2 and 4 mean/meant the most to me. And it is funny because they remind me so much of each other. I will eternally love number 4 because of the two little miracles he gave me, but I think we will never be more than parents to the same children. And that saddens me...because like I said I believe in happily ever after! I want my kids to wake up daily with both parents present in the household and I hate being in the statistic of African-American women who will never marry or that they are in a statistic of being born to a single parent. IT HURTS LIKE HELL, and my heart has broken into a million pieces knowing I brought them into this situation and can't fix or undo it. And so I sit here in the dark with the words of Jay-Z flowing through my head..."This can't be life, this can't be love. This can't be right, there's gotta be more, this can't be us!"