"It takes 5 to 7 years to fall out of love." That was a line someone told me a blue moon ago.
I honestly thought it was a lie. Afterall, I grew up being fed with fairytales of happy ever after, and countless of romance novels and comics. So young and naive me was bound to believe in the fables I had been endlessly absorbed in. I liked to believe that true love existed - that one day, someone would come by and sweep me off my feet.
As I grew up, I realised certain things. Firstly, I learnt to tolerate and even like my sister a little better. The bitter spoilt child I was had disappeared, replaced by someone more mature and who cared for her family and friends. Secondly, my parents never exhibited what one would claim as a passionate fiery love between couples. They seemed more to me like good friends who lived together and got along well with each other. It hit me that it was possible to grow to like a person and it was possible to "fall out of love" as well.
Romantic love has always been an infatuation. About a life partner being your best friend, it's true. This is because that's all they are, best friends with benefits.
Since a long time ago, arranged marriages have been present in our society. Many people have lived through their arranged marriage compared to the now huge number of people who file for divorce in their marriages filled with love. You could argue that it is because divorce wasn't an accepted practice back then, but I feel that them having lower expectations and just focusing on their own duties play a part in a successful arranged marriage as well.
I guess having the right to choose your own life partner makes it more liberating and exciting. However, because of "love", people raise the bar of expectations for their love life and get disillusioned when their marriage blands after a sweet honeymoon period.
With rationality, one can find oneself a better partner that fufils requirements. Additionally, one cannot "fall out of love" if one has not been "in love" in the first place. Ultimately to me, true love is nothing but the deepest and most beautiful of friendships.