10 Lessons In Love Our Heartless Generation Can Take Away From 'The Notebook'

Nicholas Sparks and director Nick Cassavetes blessed the world with one of the most iconic love stories known to our generation 10 years ago today.

"The Notebook" takes us back to the much simpler years of the 1940s and shares the story of how what seemed to be a simple summer fling turned into a love that would forever change both Noah (Ryan Gosling) and Allie (Rachel McAdams).

Nicholas Sparks is the Shakespeare of our generation — an author who can captivate an audience through his love stories that, for some reason, always seem to relate to our personal lives.

Our generation, which has put a negative label on the idea of falling in love, still goes nuts over Nicholas Sparks’ books, and "The Notebook" is no exception. For us, the 20-something girls and boys who battle between love of independence and desire to find love, "The Notebook" provides hope.

Obviously, we are smart enough to know that it's a Hollywood production, but this doesn’t change the fact that Noah and Allie’s love is the kind of love we all secretly want to, some day, find. "The Notebook" isn’t famous for a couple that had the perfect life — it's actually about the complete opposite.

The reason why viewers fell in love with Noah and Allie is because they were the couple that despite every obstacle they had to endure, always found their way back to each other.

The two, as a couple, made each other better and weren’t afraid to fight for their relationship. Nicholas Sparks showed us that it’s okay to fight, and that sometimes, the timing just isn't right. Noah and Allie went years without talking, but it was meant to be, and they found a way.

Our generation is known for commitment issues and cold hearts, but growing up with "The Notebook" gave us a chance to learn what true love requires. So, to celebrate 10 glorious years of watching the film repeatedly, I present you with the 10 lessons about love that every person should take away from "The Notebook":

1. You can’t be too shy; don’t miss an opportunity to tell someone how you really feel.

2. Be adventurous and try new things whenever you have the chance. If something seems scary at first, do it anyway. Nobody found unconditional love by staying in their comfort zones.

3. Enjoy every day with the person you love. Make new memories and cherish every moment.

4. The key to any relationship is the ability to communicate your feelings.

5. You’re going to fight with your significant other; fights test a relationship. It’s not always about the fight, but more so about how the two of you handle the fight. True love not only endures fights, but also grows stronger from them.

6. Always have fun. A relationship isn’t a business deal, so be goofy with one another. Having a good sense of humor will only help the relationship. A day without laughter is a day wasted.

7. If you love someone, never give up. It’s easy to just give up once a relationship starts heading south, but that’s not what true love is about. Truly loving someone means working together and always willing to help one another through the tough times.

8. Physical attraction and lust for each other are essential; never let the passion fade away.

9. It’s important to compromise, but be careful. Don't change yourself for someone. If someone doesn't love you for you are, you may not have found the right person for you.

10. Fully giving your heart to someone is one of the most rewarding, yet scariest things you can do. Sometimes, the heart doesn’t always care about logic — it simply does what it wants.

When you decide to let your heart lead your life, something magical will happen and you will find yourself feeling the happiest you’ve ever been.

Love is the strongest thing on earth. If we are willing to surrender ourselves to it, it will reward us.

Photo via The Notebook