Love Story: Bizarre

Today I stumbled upon this woman's web site and her story of meeting her husband is one of the funniest I've ever read.

9 reasons not to date a T-Rex.

Desensitizing of the Sexes?

Is this possible? Here's a really interesting article I found by my favorite Jewish Rabbi Shmuley Boteach.

http://www.shmuley.com/articles.php?id=708

Thoughts?

The Greatest of these is Love

1 Corinthians 13:13

"But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love."

Ever since I was a little girl, this Bible verse has been ingrained into my memory. That God's love is unchanging and unconditional - it always has been and always will be.

You figure it has to be pretty right on if people have died for love; countless songs, films and television shows have been based upon the topic; many have done some insanely crazy things in the name of it.

The enigma that is love encompasses so many mysterious qualities. No one can fully understand it, but most of us long to be caught up in its passionate embrace. To love and be loved with all your heart and soul.

Real and genuine love is rare and something to be treasured.

It's depressing how many couples I encounter that obviously do not love each other. Or others who consist of one person who loves and another person who takes advantage of them - essentially robbing their heart.

I find that utterly disgusting how many people do not or cannot love. This epidemic is sweeping the earth and leaving a hideously large disastrous aftermath affecting generation after generation.

Giving is an act of love. If someone can freely give of themself (time, money, heart), they love.

You really can tell a lot about a person by their generosity.

I'm one of those people that still believe love is out there for me. That I will find a man who fully understands, accepts, and needs me.

And when I find him, I will love him forever, no matter what the circumstance.

We need to get crazy about love. Seriously.

I'm not saying that you should marry someone the day you meet them, or get a mail order bride.

What I am saying is that we need to make ourselves vulnerable and stop being afraid, and start taking chances.

The other night I was expressing these thoughts to a girlfriend. She reminded me of the famous line from "When Harry Met Sally."

"I came Here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible." - Harry

I do not want to be with someone who is willing to wait to find love.

Lately, I've really been grappling with some internal questions. I keep asking myself different things, and changing my mind. I feel confused. I've figured out that the thing that drives me the most is the desire to bring love and joy to those in need. That includes many wonderful people in my life, and doesn't exclude myself.

I'm really seeking out your opinions on the questions I've written down below. If you could take a few moments and share your thoughts, I feel that I would gain a tremendous amount of insight. Please don't hesitate. Thanks for taking the time to read all of this...

How much should you risk for love? Is there a limit?

What do you think the biggest challenge is for single people to find love?

Why do you think you have not found love yet?

How would more love in the world solve societal problems? Would it make a difference?

How does someone find the love of their life?

What would help people fall in love?

Imaginary Bitches

This... is simply fantastic.

Just watch every episode:

http://www.imaginarybitches.com/Episodes.html

It's about a girl who has only friends with boyfriends, who makes up imaginary friends to talk about her one night stand with.

safe spaces

As with many other things, I have an on-again, off-again, love-hate relationship with blogging. On the one hand, I believe it opens communication across geographic boundaries and invites conversation on many pressing topics that might otherwise go undiscussed. Recently, for instance, I came across an article by a woman who shared a similar experience growing up as I had. Just by virtue of reading it, I felt an amazing, unprecedented catharsis knowing that I was not "the only one." I doubt this would have ever happened without the written, electronic word. Even on this blog there is comfort in knowing that the challenges of being twenty-something, Christian, and female today span more than individual lives, as does the encouragement we share as we come to terms with it or find that special someone.

At the same time, as we are all aware, publishing these experiences -- however anonymously or obliquely -- comes at the expense of our privacy. For this reason, I never use my legal name in my blogs (nor anyone else's), nor links between them, or post my direct contact information (if I can help it). Yet, in one way or another, many of the people -- exes, my father (egad!), et al included -- I come to write about have come across information that I never intended them to. It is a sobering thought, and one I must confess that makes me bothered as though a real privacy violation had occurred. After all, it is one thing to read someone's blog for fun, out of common interest, or so on. It is quite another to *search* for someone's information for the explicit purpose of finding out personal information about them that they chose not to reveal to you in person.

So once again, I am at odds regarding the consequences of blogging. It is psychologically relieving to write and read about daily life, dreams, and doubts in a community outside of one's immediate environment. Yet, as I am realizing all too often, it could often come back to haunt you.

For instance, I have not qualms about saying that I am moving on, am genuinely happy, thank you very much, with a neighbor (no, not boyfriend) that I have gone out with a couple of times, and have nothing to regret other than when this tertiary communicator, the blog, is used as a stand-in or short-cut to get to know the folks right in front of us. For my own sake, this time I'll keep shut about the rest ... at least for now.

What do you think? As this and/or your personal blog grows in popularity, and our relational issues deepen, how much thought are you putting into who or what you write about, based on whom you think is or not reading it. Where do you draw the line, and is there such a think as a violation of privacy in a presumably public space? How safe is the Internet, after all, to talk about the things that matter most?

Just a thought! I hope this doesn't keep the rest of you from sharing the rest of your unfolding stories. I've enjoyed reading and pondering them all..... l.d.

To Hold or to Fold?

I'll be honest. I suck at poker. It's a game that I really enjoy playing, but have absolutely no prowess in.

Much like poker, at the moment I feel like I am completely inept at handling the relationship I'm currently in.

I love my guy, but am aware that he doesn't feel sure about whether he's madly in love with me. Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not running to the altar at all, but lately his actions give me the distinct impression that he's kind of half-assing the relationship, but isn't motivated to get out of it.

He really is trying to sort things out, but it's been a few months and nothing yet. We met a year ago.

Should he know by now if he truly loves me? How long do I wait for him?

A few nights ago, I suggested that we take a three week break. I'm hoping a couple things will come out of it: his true emotions will become clear and that not having communication/being with him will stop clouding my judgment to see the real him.

Should I hold onto my hand? If so, how long do you keep your cards?

I've already laid my cards on my table, so to speak. I want to be with him, but not if he's lukewarm about us as a couple.

Should I fold and get out? On the other hand, I do want to give him a chance to figure things out before considering ending the relationship.

It's only three days into the "break" and I miss him terribly. I wish he was more impulsive and would just call me or (yeah right) show up at my place with flowers. I do not want to be the one to contact first in this situation, because the ball's in his court and I'd regret making the first move.