I married my Prince Charming many, many years ago, and it turned out a couple years later… he was not, and I found myself divorced. So there I began a second journey into the crazy world of dating. Imagine my surprise, finding that the rules had not only changed but had been thrown out! I could never imagine myself doing some of the things women were doing to “have a man.” I couldn’t figure out what happened. It seemed men and women relegated themselves to much lower standards. And this downward spiral continued. So why did men stop being gentlemen, and women stop being ladies? What was so wrong with the traditional roles of men and women when it comes to courtship, where expectations were clear and both parties understood, respected and even admired boundaries? Did men stop wanting to protect and provide? Did women stop wanting to be pursued and courted? When did it become a bad thing to want to be married?
Now here I am today, just as much of a hopeful romantic as I’ve always been, but the road to my Prince Charming has been bumpy and winding. I liken my dating experiences to that of Grand Master Flash’s “The Message” sometimes… “Don’t push me cause I’m close to the edge. I’m trying not to lose my head. Uh, huh huh huh huh, it’s like a jungle sometimes it makes me wonder how I keep from going under.” Lol!!!
I’ve had to navigate attempts to adapt, making some very uncomfortable first moves, sifting through online imposters for a “match” or some “harmony”, agreeing to friend and family “set-ups” for coffee or dining with a range of men from the complete jerk, to the arrogant, to the downright cray cray and even a bit pervertish! Yikes!!! And it doesn’t seem to get easier with age! I should’ve given up by now, right? Sure I get tired, but I can’t give up. Because I STILL believe that “one day” my ONE will come and it will all work out. I’ll be able to look back on these days with the contentment and understanding that it would have all been well worth it all. So that’s what I will continue to stand in faith for, and in hope of.
