The 3 Great Ones

The Bronx Tale. An all-time favorite of mine. For many, many reasons, but…one part has always stuck out most to me. This theory of the Great ones.

“You’re only allowed three great women in your lifetime. They come along like the great fighters, once every ten years.”

Growing up and, honestly, even as an adult…I always hoped that, for someone, I was one of the great ones. I hoped that someone could look back at their relationship with me and think, “Her. She was one of the great ones.”

As I get older, though, I’m beginning to have a slightly different take on this.

What if the three great ones are the ones that taught you the greatest lessons?

Can those be the same as the great loves that made you happiest? Of course. But…it could also be the ones who are there to get you ready for your final love. They could be the ones who crush you, because of lessons you needed to learn for someone else.

If that’s the case I’m pretty sure I’ve had my three great ones.

I had the one who taught me that sometimes growing up together means growing apart. He taught me that love is real, but loving yourself, and not losing yourself, is just as important as loving them.

I had the one who taught me that the guys who make you say, “I mean…yeah…he’s kind of an asshole…but not to me…” will eventually be an asshole to you, too. And when they do, they will take everything you love about yourself and crush it. He taught me that how someone treats the rest of the world is how he’ll eventually treat you.

I had the one who taught me that no matter how much you love someone, sometimes it’s not enough to make them love you back. He taught me that someone not being able to love me doesn’t make me unlovable. He taught me to look past who someone can be and focus on who they choose to be.

Every one of these men taught me a valuable lesson about love. About relationships. About forever and about now.

The “three great ones” were three great lessons to, hopefully, put me where I need to be to meet the one that feels like home and doesn’t want to leave.

Those three great lessons are what made me into the woman I am today…the woman who will be loved by one GREAT one.