LOVE… IT’S A BEAUTIFUL THING. SOMETIMES.

It happened. It finally happened. You finally met the guy of your dreams. He’s everything you’ve ever wanted. He treats you nice. He has a car. He has a good paying job (which is great, considering the economy). He doesn’t live with his mother nor does he have any children.

 

Everything is going good for you, but it doesn’t last for long. Your relationship goes sour. The “I love you” stops and jealousy sets in. You argue about everything. The “Who is that girl?” and “Why is she looking at you like that?” questions start rolling. The things that Johnny did that used to be so cute are getting annoying. You try to make your relationship work. You try talking about your problems. You go see a counselor. You pray. You cross your fingers and hope that what people predicted does not come true. However, regardless of your many attempts, it’s over. Your fairytale romance is over.

 

Sound familiar?

 

Well even if it hasn’t happened to you (yet), I’m sure you know someone who perfectly fits this description. Do the names Chris and Rihanna ring a bell?

A few weeks ago, word that singer and actor Chris Brown, 19, got into a physical altercation with his girlfriend, singer Rihanna, 21, spread quickly. Allegedly, Chris left Rihanna with head contusions, a bloody lip and bite marks. Hmmm… Neither Chris nor Rihanna has given details about what happened, leaving the media and fans around the world to come up with their own conclusions and reasons why the relationship went sour.

I tried to block the situation out my mind. I didn’t want to believe that Chris, who seems so innocent and sweet, could hurt anyone. I told myself, “This is a bad joke.” Then I saw the picture of Rihanna after the incident. She looked horrible. For the first time, I felt bad for her. It may seem cruel, but I made up excuses for Chris, trying to find a way to blame Rihanna for the fight. But there’s no point. Even if the fight included both parties, it’s not looking too good for Chris. Because he didn’t think before he acted, his promising career may be long gone.

This fight has affected people outside of the couple’s circle, including my 48-year-old mother, who is a social worker in a male juvenile correctional facility. 

“Chris was someone my boys could look up to, but now he’s facing the same charges as some of them,” she said. “It’s a shame how his life can shatter right before his eyes.”

 

The consequences to Chris and Rihanna’s personal and professional lives are saddening.

 

Rihanna must heal emotionally and physically. It will be difficult to ignore the paparazzi and shut out the tabloids when your bruised face and love-story-gone-wrong is gracing the covers. 

 

Chris, on the other hand, is losing endorsements and radio stations are refusing to play his music. He’s facing jail time and his fan base in dwindling.

 

Although he issued an apology, it came too late and had little influence on improving the situation. Chris was quiet for too long, causing the public to question his sincerity and believe what was being said on blogs and other media outlets, such as Facebook. The ultimate PR no-no.

 

Two lives were drastically changed. Two careers affected. Although Chris and Rihanna once shared what seemed like an unbreakable bond, their love for each other may be what kills their careers for good.