Back on track here... while simultaneously partaking in borderline inappropriate conversations with mostly males but also some fabulous females, I was reading the memoir 51/50 The Magical Adventures of a Single Life. In it, the amazingly passionate, flawed (and sober) Kristen McGuiness tells the story of a year of dating in search of love: "I wanted to love at such an intensity it felt as though I might die because of it." I highly recommend this book; Kristen's voice and prose make for an easy enjoyable read filled with adventure, inspiration and serious self-reflection. Her Nana is her soulmate (be sure to check out Novel Girl's recent post about her thoughts on soulmates and such). This 75 year old could-be-Jewish powerful woman claims that men are only good for two things: breeding and heavy lifting, and "it is the ones we cannot have whom we love the most." A part of me is in agreement with the Nana, which is comical because so many females out there are dependent on men and settle for men who don't treat them well. Not all women are from Venus.
This leads me to my most recent discovery in the dating game. Carly's Chronicles is a blog written by a 24 year old daughter of a top matchmaker that takes us through her journey in finding her next "great love" in New York City. Very Carrie Bradshaw... if Carrie Bradshaw had been a twentysomething immersed in social media. I admire this young girl for putting it all out there and must admit, while our attitude towards romance is astronomically different, I am highly entertained by her stories.
Although Kristen and Carly are also very different, they are both doing something pretty powerful. They are taking control of their love life and not waiting around for Mr. Right or Mr. NotsoRight to show up. Both women are on a path of self-discovery, and in dating many different types of men, they are getting to know who they really are and also what they ultimately want, need, and deserve in a partner. Kudos to them. I hope they serve as an inspiration to a few amazing woman I know that are currently stuck in relationships that are no fun for anyone.
In the spirit of self-reflection and discovery, I must reveal that I have been getting romanced lately. It has been a masochistic pattern of mine to flee from men who are infinitely sweet and very much into me, but I am working to overcome my cynicism and commitment phobia to embrace this new venture. This dating game is tricky.
NicD- if there was a 12 step program for commitment issues you would be on to step two... Because admitting you have a problem is the first step!
ReplyDeleteIn the words of the GP (great program), reflect about your reflection so inturn you can develop reflective reflections.