So I recently had an epiphany. Relationships... are like Pokemon.
Did I lose you? Alright, bear with me a little longer.
So for those of you who don't know, Pokemon Black 2 recently came out for the DS and DAMN was I excited (for both the game and the coloring pages I got when I pre-ordered. Because I'm gangster, that's why.) This series has been around since I was 8 or 9 years old so I have literally spent the majority of my life enamored with Pokemon. Generation 1, 2, 78, whatever, they all kick ass. But, as anyone who has played through the games will tell you, there's definitely a constant theme during your quest, regardless of which version of the game you've played; a recurring pattern along your journey to catch 'em all, if you will.
You start out in a low-level zone every time... with wild Pokemon levels 2-5, all of them ranging anywhere from shitty (I'm looking at you, Dunsparce) to meh, at best. But you catch them! You catch them because you need them to further you along on your journey. I mean, yeah, you can just grind your one starter Pokemon alone the whole way but what happens when you encounter all those damn Grass-types and all you have is your stupid Squirtle? Yeah, it can be done, but it's not the most efficient way to go about it.
So we catch a Rattata... or a Pidgey. Something to give us a little extra boost, even if we're not that enthralled with them. We need them to help us get to where we need to go. (The Pokemon League, for those of you who didn't have a childhood.)
Seeing any correlations here yet? No? Alright, let me spell it out for you.
When we're young, let's say high school, our options of potential mates are fairly... well, shitty to meh. We have our pick of:
Dude with 50 facial piercings and a police record
Smelly kid with rolly backpack who spend all day in the library reading manga
Annoying popular bitch with the personality of a grapefruit
That one kid you're pretty sure is going to shoot up the school one of these days
Those are your options for the most part... that's what you have to work with. Not too great, right? Sort of like Rattatas and Pidgeys. But little do we realize that the dude in the library might have the potential to be Google's next CEO... in the same way a crappy Pidgey eventually evolves into a kickass Pigeot. All it takes is time and patience. Sure, we may actually find our own little Cindaquil (which is awesome in itself, disregarding the fact that it'll be even MORE awesome when it evolves) if we're lucky... but like I mentioned earlier, going through your whole journey with one Pokemon isn't a walk in the park. He or she may be the most perfect thing you've ever encountered but what happens when there's a battle you don't know how to overcome, something you didn't train for or expect? What happens when life blindsides you with one really hard fight and all you have is the experience of one Pokemon, one person, to count on? Sure, some people tough it out and make it... but at great cost. You may end up burnt, poisoned or paralyzed from the encounter because you didn't have anything else under your belt to help you.
Even if they do have awesome potential, and some partners certainly do, it doesn't mean we'll keep them around forever. I'm sure a lot of people think their first love is going to be THE ONE but how often does that really come to pass? If we're wise, we'll understand that we'll need to have a lot of failures and mistakes (moments of "I immediately regret this decision" are common) before we can recognize a good partner.
I didn't catch a Purrloin because I thought a Liepard was a great Pokemon to have on my team... I caught it because I needed it to get further along, to beat some gym leaders and find my way to Route 7 where I could catch something more versatile, something stronger, something that will be a better asset to my own team. Does it mean I don't appreciate my Purrloin? Hell no. That thing was with me when I needed it, when my options were limited and my team needed to stay alive. Purrloin was there to help me move forward, closer to where I needed to be.
Eventually we might even trade in all of our starter Pokemon for our ultimate team... just like we keep trading in partners for someone that better suits us and our needs. But we should never take them for granted. They helped us develop, pushed us further down our path to our end-game goals of finding that one person that would be exactly what we were looking for. Just as my Purrloin was an essential asset to my initial team, everyone I ever dated, loved, or felt any form of strong emotion for was instrumental to getting me to where I am now. For that I am eternally grateful.
I came upon this moment of clarity when I was lying in bed, playing Black 2 and dreading my next family gathering where I would inevitably end up introducing my new boyfriend (I say "new" but the new boyfriend smell has long-since faded) to everyone. I know what they'll think, "Oh, she has a new guy every week." Though I could really give a shit what they have to say about my personal life, I hate having that conversation. Now I know how to go about it. Yes, I've had quite a few boyfriends. Know what that means?
More exp. points. Get on my level.
Just because you don't have the same team when you reach the Indigo Plateau that you did at the starting gates... it doesn't mean they were any less help in getting you there.
(PETA, I eagerly await your hate mail.)
