tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24034339596255793332024-03-12T21:09:56.028-07:00The Truth About RelationshipsA Tell AllBrooke Alexandriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15535105870015736913noreply@blogger.comBlogger128125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2403433959625579333.post-2036366448736687482013-01-14T15:08:00.001-08:002013-01-14T15:08:38.426-08:00The Infinite Wisdom of Grandparents<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqToX_4uYRg-BXaQnpTZkP8kxrd4-kFzWkBeJXbGAwqKPCIoBM4qWQgidUzpurR3Wk8a2Bt4Cz9Gum36dw1rGo2v5qeFhDQ2s9yob_wMM7YfulRbuNQ0MNSEf_zmvjj4k5FKCaQgQKP-M/s1600/grandparents.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqToX_4uYRg-BXaQnpTZkP8kxrd4-kFzWkBeJXbGAwqKPCIoBM4qWQgidUzpurR3Wk8a2Bt4Cz9Gum36dw1rGo2v5qeFhDQ2s9yob_wMM7YfulRbuNQ0MNSEf_zmvjj4k5FKCaQgQKP-M/s320/grandparents.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;"><i>In honor of my grandfather and his recent passing...I am going to re-post a blog entry that was inspired by him from August of 2011:</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Simply put, my grandfather’s perspective on relationships is, </span><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">“When you see something you want, you better get it before it’s gone!”<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">That’s what my grandfather was thinking when he proposed to my grandmother 60 years ago at the age of 21 (she was 19). They had both grown up on farms in the small city of Unadilla, Georgia. They had known of each other’s families growing up and started dating once they were adults. After dating for just a few months, my grandfather proposed. He knew what he wanted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Sixty years later, he’s sitting beside his 26-year-old granddaughter who has been dating the same guy on and off for 5 years, and he asks me, “So why aren’t you married yet?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I chuckle because that’s a very loaded question. It catches me off guard because we hadn’t been talking about relationships or anything like that. I pause and I respond simply, “Because no one has asked me.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Apparently, that was an insufficient response because he nodded his head and said, “Well, the next time I see him, I’m going to ask him what is taking so long.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I smiled to myself. I love the fact that my grandfather is going to ask the magic question that I’ve been wanting to ask. My 82-year-old grandfather is going to ask my 24-year-old boyfriend, why it’s taking him so long to propose to a young woman he’s been dating for some time now!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I love the picture that the image paints in my mind and I’m also eager to hear how my boyfriend responds. My boyfriend is of the mindset that the situation has to be “right” before he proposes. But my grandfather would say that if you spend time waiting for a “right” time, you might lose out on a “right” woman.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">My grandfather saw in my grandmother the qualities that he wanted in a wife and 60 years later they are still together…he just wants the same thing for his granddaughter; </span><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">because what he would also say (in his infinite wisdom) is that if a man is making you wait too long, you need to move on!</span></div>
Brooke Alexandriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15535105870015736913noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2403433959625579333.post-89778972059412902152012-09-18T22:35:00.000-07:002012-09-18T22:35:25.845-07:00Feeling and Connection<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVHCVCvd0sMdJC6Dp4zlhpHO6FPg4IDH5zQXeiMY_j4YYEzBm4J2NFTANTYU4Skh__lMKZ_Y__Bl6VRPzAZR6TdQxQC530Z8e1XfWH0aw5Vk7oFqQp2sLj1IFdd-B8c0XyF6YOs3z4y-c/s1600/Connection.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVHCVCvd0sMdJC6Dp4zlhpHO6FPg4IDH5zQXeiMY_j4YYEzBm4J2NFTANTYU4Skh__lMKZ_Y__Bl6VRPzAZR6TdQxQC530Z8e1XfWH0aw5Vk7oFqQp2sLj1IFdd-B8c0XyF6YOs3z4y-c/s320/Connection.jpg" width="320" /></a>My Truth about Relationships: More feeling and less thinking!<br />
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I realized tonight that I have been doing much <i>thinking </i>in my relationship and not as much <i>feeling</i>. I was talking with another couple, and they were discussing how they feel spiritually connected. Not "spiritually connected" in the cliche' kind of way, but truly connected in the kind of way where they actually feel what the other one is feeling. They feel the energy of the other one and literally take on the emotion that the other one is feeling. <br />
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After I got past the "really?" stage, I actually thought what the couple was describing was beautiful and decided that was what I want to have with my boyfriend. Over the time that my boyfriend and I have been dating, the deep feelings have faded to more of a dull touch. This is not to say that we don't love each other, but it is to say that we have allowed the passion to decline. But what I learned from this couple is that passion does not have to decline. Passion is a choice. It is a choice because it stems from being open, being vulnerable, being honest, being real, being YOU. A person must choose to be all those things and trust that their partner will reciprocate. It's once both people are choosing to be raw that passion reveals itself. <br />
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I'm ready to rekindle my passion, but I'm also a bit uncomfortable with "going all in." I'm a bit uncomfortable with really exposing myself to my boyfriend. He obviously knows me, but I'm talking about exposing the things that I second guess saying to him; the things that I second guess doing. <br />
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Join me on my journey toward getting comfortable with feeling. Brooke Alexandriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15535105870015736913noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2403433959625579333.post-43992449384115197882011-10-14T11:52:00.000-07:002011-10-17T17:33:08.785-07:00Drama, Drama, Drama!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWyaX2Q93LD5N9sjnrFL2tBQ-Z9BN4KfFLSeDhvoNCkXkqz9yM6s1tQ_ed3dEMdmUYNxd1rhD7JPzbyFrd_jU2Hhbhmd3RX3z-lyZLKwkFD-qQm-ZuiZTUGCRu9hqkmByvReWQustwgOs/s1600/frustrated.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWyaX2Q93LD5N9sjnrFL2tBQ-Z9BN4KfFLSeDhvoNCkXkqz9yM6s1tQ_ed3dEMdmUYNxd1rhD7JPzbyFrd_jU2Hhbhmd3RX3z-lyZLKwkFD-qQm-ZuiZTUGCRu9hqkmByvReWQustwgOs/s1600/frustrated.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14.0pt;">The truth about my relationship: Drama, drama, drama!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14.0pt;">It’s funny how in relationships, something that starts off as a small disagreement can escalate into a huge problem in a short amount of time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14.0pt;">When you are in a relationship with someone, it’s almost impossible to sweep an issue under the rug… it always has a way of reappearing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Issues don’t go away—they just mask themselves temporarily.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And somehow, the longer you wait to address them, the harder it is to overcome them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the impact it has on the relationship is bigger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14.0pt;">My boyfriend and I were caught in this situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, we weren’t just caught, we were rendered immobile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had a slight disagreement last weekend about the limits of our relationship and what’s appropriate to do or not do while the other is not there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, fast forward five days later and we were having a full argument about trust and dishonesty!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the whole time we are arguing, I’m asking myself: How did we get here?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14.0pt;">I was asking myself that, but I really knew the answer and I knew whose fault it was: MINE.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t address the minor issue when it first occurred, so the longer I went without addressing it, the more problematic it became.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So although we had had no prior issues of trust or dishonesty in our relationship, the fact that I hadn’t addressed the minor issue, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">created</i> a trust problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14.0pt;">And with the trust problem came the infamous DRAMA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My boyfriend and I generally try to keep drama out of our relationship—neither one of us like it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, this time, we were a slave to the drama.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We couldn’t break free from its reign.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had a hold of us and the more drama we would entertain, the more would come.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was this vicious cycle of drama feeding more drama. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14.0pt;">We both knew we needed to come to a resolution but we didn’t know how…<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14.0pt;">So for now, we are caught…<o:p></o:p></span></div>Brooke Alexandriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15535105870015736913noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2403433959625579333.post-1683585619650594912011-10-07T14:27:00.001-07:002011-10-07T14:33:11.880-07:00Undeserving<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYNT_rszI6aWJJXfETmXwaRLkLPW0Tgp8MmAziBDGAZK3L70CBCbsxdjrsJxw9_HhwOu0bXvsF8yE3F9MU_Z55-uyxj35zC_o0rFg4s0AXsr2AFytr0TwmyhOrV5d0mW9QLx-ktYjN8dc/s1600/couple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYNT_rszI6aWJJXfETmXwaRLkLPW0Tgp8MmAziBDGAZK3L70CBCbsxdjrsJxw9_HhwOu0bXvsF8yE3F9MU_Z55-uyxj35zC_o0rFg4s0AXsr2AFytr0TwmyhOrV5d0mW9QLx-ktYjN8dc/s1600/couple.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">The truth about my relationship: Not sure I deserve the great relationship I have with my boyfriend… </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I feel honored and blessed to have a man like you in my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not sure what I did to deserve you; but nevertheless, I’m grateful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m grateful to have you in my life because you are everything I dreamed you would be; truly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Six or seven years ago, I made a list of everything I wanted in a future husband.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know people have different opinions on whether a person should write down a list of “qualifications” they want in a future mate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, it was important for me to write down my “must haves” and “nice to haves” in a future mate because I never wanted to settle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No matter how many years I was single, I didn’t want to just go for anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I made a list…</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">On the list were “nice to haves” like "athletic" and "comes from a two-parent household," but there was also some “must haves” like "being a Christian" and "treating me well."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">My boyfriend matches so many things that I wanted in my future husband.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He meets my “nice to haves” and my “must haves.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is so right for me that it’s kind of scary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How did I ever find someone who was such a great match for me?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t even seek this person out; it was like he was sent to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I believe God sent this excellent match for me, but why?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What did I do to deserve him?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I have this great guy who is in love with me. We get along well and we trust and respect each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have a great time together and are truly best friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know what I did to deserve a relationship like this…</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">So maybe I don’t deserve it, but the fact is I have it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I guess I need to start focusing on nurturing it and keeping it as opposed to questioning whether I’ve earned it. </span></div>Brooke Alexandriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15535105870015736913noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2403433959625579333.post-9899915577567709772011-10-05T13:01:00.000-07:002011-10-06T10:11:49.587-07:00Can You Ever Be Too Truthful?<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_AZaqSyeJV0UIO2x7t0MzK58AKsNiqqFN6zcaNN6pqUoBr4r5PDgJp-MpTTEaRHQ5Rp9nA6EV9qMKTsMbqXkv3IloncIgGnGLJMqtqvOYDFwgVkUyi0uRjBoswrWC9DMsQ7KdkxkmseY/s1600/taped+mouth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_AZaqSyeJV0UIO2x7t0MzK58AKsNiqqFN6zcaNN6pqUoBr4r5PDgJp-MpTTEaRHQ5Rp9nA6EV9qMKTsMbqXkv3IloncIgGnGLJMqtqvOYDFwgVkUyi0uRjBoswrWC9DMsQ7KdkxkmseY/s320/taped+mouth.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="right"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Image from nasblog.org</span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">The truth about my relationship: My boyfriend is being <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">too</i> truthful! <o:p></o:p></span> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">They say “honesty is the best policy.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In general, I agree with “them,” but there are times when being honest doesn’t actually help the situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I was blissfully unaware of a few things my boyfriend had been doing (don’t worry, he wasn’t cheating on me), but this afternoon he had decided to come clean about some of his extra-curricular activities and behaviors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>None of these confessions contained information that directly impacted me, so when he decided to get these things off his chest, I was unaffected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was glad that he felt better; that there was a burden lifted from him, but other than that, I could have done without the information.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">It’s not that I don’t care or that I am heartless, but I have so many other things that do directly affect my life, that I don’t want to give energy to this situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Basically, I need to put things in perspective and I don’t want to over-react to this situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are so many other negative things that he could have confessed that when he said what he said I almost chuckled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">In a world with cheating and men on the down low and illegal activity, what he shared with me was the least of my concerns!<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">If nothing else, the honesty that he showed this afternoon told me that he really cares about me and wants me to be a part of every aspect of his life—good and the bad. It’s one step closer toward trusting him and loving him more, which enables me to continue to let my guard down and be vulnerable with him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">So they say honesty is the best policy…but they also say ignorance is bliss…who wins?<o:p></o:p></span>Brooke Alexandriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15535105870015736913noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2403433959625579333.post-42199855224737468922011-09-28T11:37:00.000-07:002011-09-29T12:18:33.411-07:00Searching...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhObOUTPQR0eb82xcjIB2mjb2KzIYVJRmGrdx8jgXYk5PrCXEYhuGz0C-F0DH1misaXAyX7ZnNdNdWM4ABcoSQLCmYU98Eu4h303aArLY2xqlJZ5dwTqLwNKpDlFqspaidqrQvSU6pu7CA/s1600/magnifying+glass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhObOUTPQR0eb82xcjIB2mjb2KzIYVJRmGrdx8jgXYk5PrCXEYhuGz0C-F0DH1misaXAyX7ZnNdNdWM4ABcoSQLCmYU98Eu4h303aArLY2xqlJZ5dwTqLwNKpDlFqspaidqrQvSU6pu7CA/s1600/magnifying+glass.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">The truth about <strong>my</strong> relationship: I am trying to find a sign!!!<o:p></o:p></span> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Signs—there are signs all around us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Signs tell us what to do, what not to do, how to act, where to go, when to go, and how to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Signs take the shape of octagons telling us to stop. Lights tell us to go, and flashing hands telling us to be cautious. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">What I’m learning is that there are also signs in relationships—signs telling us to stop, go, and to be cautious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And right now I feel like there is a bright, glaring green light telling us to proceed; go to the next level of our relationship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">But we are unable to see the green light because we’ve been blinded by many years of flashing hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These flashing hands blink "on" and "off" in a rhythm that forces us to slow down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As soon as we think we have the green light and can speed back up, the flashing hands come and make us cautious again, slowing us down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So are almost stricken immobile for fear of moving when we aren’t supposed to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s like we are afraid to cross the street to the other side for fear of getting caught in the middle and not being able to make it to the other side in time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The flashing hands always push us back to our starting point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">But this time is different—it has to be!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The signs are more obvious than ever; the only ones standing in our way is ourselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are holding ourselves back from going to the next level.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are holding ourselves back for fear of making a mistake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are holding ourselves back for fear of ridicule, criticism, and disagreement. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">We are holding ourselves back because of others and how it will make us look. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">But, at some point, we will have to take a risk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We will have to cross the street and proceed to the next step in our relationship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">We need signs, but we also need to trust the signs once we receive them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>Brooke Alexandriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15535105870015736913noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2403433959625579333.post-40040608045388126002011-09-26T15:11:00.000-07:002011-09-26T17:50:45.422-07:00Hands-Off Helping<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAX8d2Sl5LZxK_aajv7ZJGW1xybH1hU6z0EMQXRRMxlOUEAL5Q-mCxJ-XRhZg48sd73nbVK4PJ7EuT6xbg3_JerxSMD0mdoqK5emUr9eEbS-p3kR0grjirikwUwkAwhNC4vaEiCu14lRs/s1600/mom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAX8d2Sl5LZxK_aajv7ZJGW1xybH1hU6z0EMQXRRMxlOUEAL5Q-mCxJ-XRhZg48sd73nbVK4PJ7EuT6xbg3_JerxSMD0mdoqK5emUr9eEbS-p3kR0grjirikwUwkAwhNC4vaEiCu14lRs/s1600/mom.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sometimes I feel like a mom rather than a girlfriend.<br />
<div align="right"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Image by Yoshi Aka</span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I have a strong desire to help you, a strong desire to do things for you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want to solve the problem, find the solution, answer the question.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want to do all the thinking so you don’t have to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">But I can’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t do that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">able</i> to do that, but I shouldn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I need to enable you to resolve your own dilemmas, not enable you to not have to face them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I want to help but I can’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t be your mom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You don’t want me to be, and I don’t want me to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But sometimes I find myself playing the “mom” role because I don’t trust you to do it yourself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know you have good intentions, but sometimes your intentions don’t translate to reality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just want to be there to ensure the translation is correct.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">But I can’t do that anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the good of our relationship, I need to start being more hands off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I need to start taking a back seat and letting you steer the car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s the only way I’m going to start having confidence in you and you are going to have confidence in yourself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">So I will stop “helping” (if that’s what we should even consider it).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will stop treating you like a child.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will stop holding your hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will just stop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I have a strong desire to help you, but I have an even stronger desire for you to help yourself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You are a very smart, competent man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I need to start allowing you to be…<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Which begs the question, why do I feel the need to play the “mom” role?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do I like playing that role in relationships? Do I get some type of satisfaction by playing that role—Maybe in some weird way, I like to feel needed and in control? <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Either way, I can’t put that on you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I need to find someone else to place my maternal instincts on, because I don’t think any man likes to be told what to do for long…<o:p></o:p></span></div>Brooke Alexandriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15535105870015736913noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2403433959625579333.post-38521737821394322942011-09-23T15:30:00.000-07:002011-09-23T15:30:57.499-07:00Finding the Right Balance of Togetherness<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVhKcOQq59wIE1ylogoH4PiSOhpviUrAWEykDibvg0TUab9jLkog1kAtaYrAG7Ss7wkfLf_w2NKsTHblzv1rfe_SynHTGfDl4z1a4j4_yvOGYDmSZfEbl3SG7iOBJKYLZZjihqFQRj24s/s1600/laying+in+sun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVhKcOQq59wIE1ylogoH4PiSOhpviUrAWEykDibvg0TUab9jLkog1kAtaYrAG7Ss7wkfLf_w2NKsTHblzv1rfe_SynHTGfDl4z1a4j4_yvOGYDmSZfEbl3SG7iOBJKYLZZjihqFQRj24s/s1600/laying+in+sun.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little "me" time is good for the soul.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">My boyfriend makes me happy<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">–</span>genuinely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I enjoy his company and have a great time when I’m around him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m a better version of myself when I’m around him.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">But, what I’m also realizing is that I enjoy my own company too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like being alone at times and I value my “me” time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">So yesterday when he left to go back to his home, I was filled with different emotions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was sad to see him go; sad to not have my partner in crime; sad to not have him in the bed next to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I was also relieved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was relieved that I would be able to spend my evenings the way I wanted to, and I didn’t have to think about anyone else or cater to anyone else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could just do me.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">By being in a long-distance relationship, we’ve been naturally able to balance the together time versus the “me” time. In fact, we’ve probably had way too much “me” time than what’s necessary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, if we were ever to live in the same city, it will be important for us to continue to invest in the things we like to do by ourselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don’t have to be up under each other every single night; we can spend some evenings alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I actually think carving in time to be by ourselves would be good for the relationship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It will allow us time to miss each other and to appreciate each other.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Because that’s exactly what’s happening now—I miss him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When he first left, I was relieved; but that relief quickly turned into loneliness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was lonely because I didn’t have someone to eat dinner with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t have someone to laugh at TV shows with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t have someone to cuddle in the bed with...besides my teddy bear.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">So, if I had it my way, my boyfriend would live in the same city as me, but we would have two nights a week that we would be “off duty.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Meaning, he would do his thing and I would do mine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">So I that’s the plan!...but first I got to get him to move to my city…because right now, all this alone time is killing me!<o:p></o:p></span></div>Brooke Alexandriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15535105870015736913noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2403433959625579333.post-61761869953537680422011-09-16T12:24:00.000-07:002011-09-18T12:30:39.032-07:00Crazy in Love?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguRPgyHDgJWltDzSiAvhpZsj_kk7pE1b0nxf5ZgMbMOLQ9vLzCaDSmdDXbyVUY8MWgzUeR81wubnGB8m84B7rmLLAGmd0WZbutw_4btP8MS4KDaXxOzqF7sOlK8PcEN9KR3tgaa8nKeGw/s1600/crazy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguRPgyHDgJWltDzSiAvhpZsj_kk7pE1b0nxf5ZgMbMOLQ9vLzCaDSmdDXbyVUY8MWgzUeR81wubnGB8m84B7rmLLAGmd0WZbutw_4btP8MS4KDaXxOzqF7sOlK8PcEN9KR3tgaa8nKeGw/s1600/crazy.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">The truth in my relationship is that I am crazy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am clearly the crazy, highly-emotional one in the relationship!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I try to act like I’m sane, like I don’t do and say irrational things; but the truth of the matter is, I do!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could be fine one minute and as soon as my boyfriend says something to “set me off,” I’m not fine anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, I’m the opposite of fine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I get irritated, angry, annoyed, and frustrated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My eyes involuntarily begin to roll, my heart beat begins to quicken and my mind starts to race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It races to see how quickly it can come up with a reason why whatever he is saying or doing is stupid, crazy, pointless, or insensitive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The mind races toward a finish line of being “right,” but once I get there, I realized I haven’t really won anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">So then once I’ve realized that this “competition” (that I was in by myself) was pointless and dissatisfying, I immediately begin the race toward undoing what I’ve just said so things can be pleasant again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is no point in being “right” when everyone else is left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There should be comfort in “right,” confidence in “right,” faith in “right.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But when my boyfriend and I are in a disagreement and I’m “right,” I don’t always feel comfortable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m usually uncomfortable because the right and wrong that we were debating was minor and I end up looking crazy because I debate it as if it were major.</span><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">This crazy person (me) ends up being in this crazy cycle of ups and downs because I’m constantly trying to enhance the mellow and suppress the “extra.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I need to either let the mellow ride or let the extra do its thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But this constant cycle is getting tiring for my boyfriend <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and</i> me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">So I’m going to try the former—I going to try to mellow out a bit….<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">We will see how long that lasts…<o:p></o:p></span></div>Brooke Alexandriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15535105870015736913noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2403433959625579333.post-48283139470479775382011-09-12T09:29:00.000-07:002011-09-12T09:29:43.373-07:00Perfect Imperfections<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDeyxTPMweoX1E1suUQ_HV47arBPCTA55yMxs5O-dqQrwVi6jjoeCMzTOTFbDFD6w2GKCG9Purp2bqnmUm2clySY0gzj87-bEcVCEvBKSi0P9Gk9MqLBzn6oe7naeWzjZq0o0MsWqfHuQ/s1600/eyeglasses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDeyxTPMweoX1E1suUQ_HV47arBPCTA55yMxs5O-dqQrwVi6jjoeCMzTOTFbDFD6w2GKCG9Purp2bqnmUm2clySY0gzj87-bEcVCEvBKSi0P9Gk9MqLBzn6oe7naeWzjZq0o0MsWqfHuQ/s1600/eyeglasses.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now that I'm seeing clearly, I appreciate his imperfections.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Uncovering the truth in my relationship has not taken out all the kinks in the relationship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My boyfriend and I are finally unafraid to love ,but that doesn’t mean we magically have a perfect, harmonious relationship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">wish</i> that were the case.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wish that because we are both all the way in it, the annoyances, anger, anxiousness would be all the way out of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was hoping the unadulterated love would force out the undeniable “issues” in our relationship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">“Issues” like our constant disagreement about music and trying to figure out what we can both listen to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And like his strong lack of organizational skills, which conveniently allows him to forget to do a lot of things we’ve discussed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Other “issues” include my inability to get a restful sleep if I haven’t talked to him at night and his inability to answer the phone once he is already asleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">“Issues” like these won’t break up a relationship, but will be just enough to get under your skin (some more than others).<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I was hoping that my newly found love for him would wipe away the fact that he doesn’t LOVE Janet Jackson like I do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or that this new passion would erase the fact that he has the organizational skills of a pre-schooler.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or this new adoration would be enough to give me many nights of restful sleep—with or without having talked to him. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">What I realized was that my “hope” was hopeless…and insane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s no amount of love in this world that could erase all of our imperfections.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, it’s the imperfections that make it interesting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The imperfections add layers and those layers add depth and that depth gives you appreciation for that person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s in the imperfections that I learn to appreciate my boyfriend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">So, my boyfriend and I have uncovered our “truth” in the relationship, but we are still uncovering the truth in ourselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each day brings a new truth, a new fact, and a new quality that we need to learn about each other and I’m grateful that we have the time together to do that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">So today, my truth is that I need to praise the imperfections!<o:p></o:p></span>Brooke Alexandriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15535105870015736913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2403433959625579333.post-23535735882927431652011-09-09T17:02:00.000-07:002011-09-12T09:18:40.100-07:00Love, Renewed<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8KJg-HZsetDjND8zwm2MYD5CSJtt2eTCs3ajAQvX8gLrqishcxoPf2FjtZI5dxL4Roxl0LdmeoXqxX3MYryxbXqEXcAI6xxP1ohwYpp1uqBF8QAjjEWnuTM0ORNjFCglrjECPiNSSasc/s1600/love+renewed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8KJg-HZsetDjND8zwm2MYD5CSJtt2eTCs3ajAQvX8gLrqishcxoPf2FjtZI5dxL4Roxl0LdmeoXqxX3MYryxbXqEXcAI6xxP1ohwYpp1uqBF8QAjjEWnuTM0ORNjFCglrjECPiNSSasc/s1600/love+renewed.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">My boyfriend and I are riding the gravy train of love!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s right—we are extremely happy, and I’m loving it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want to shout it in the streets so everyone can know, I’M IN LOVE!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I feel like I’m Eddie Murphy in “Coming to America”!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“…To be loved, to be loved, O what a feeling; to be love!”<o:p></o:p></span> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I am loved and I’m in love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s a pretty good feeling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I don’t have this feeling very often, so I’m going to let it marinade…soak it all in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Soak in the warmth, the beauty, the majesty, the pure essence of love and what that means.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">This feeling is not to be taken for granted because it can leave as quickly as it has come.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Love is strong, but it’s not invincible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It can be penetrated, damaged, bruised.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It can fade and cause pain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve felt that pain before and it’s not something I want to remember. So I want this new feeling of overwhelming love to overwhelm my soul, my heart, my spirit, my memory!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Love can heal old wounds and it’s finally starting to do that for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The love my boyfriend gives me is finally starting to break down the walls, melt the ice around my heart, undo the defensive mindset, divert the default attitude.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His love is directing me back to the old me, the innocent and naïve me; the “me” that had never been hurt, had never been wronged, and had never been deceived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">His love is making me believe in true love, carefree love, honest love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just found the truth in my relationship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The truth is we can’t be afraid to love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Throughout the five years that my boyfriend and I have been dating off and on, either he or I was holding back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So then the other couldn’t fully love because they weren’t feeling the full commitment from the other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">We are finally on the same page.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are finally unafraid to love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">That’s my truth!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What’s yours?</span></div>Brooke Alexandriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15535105870015736913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2403433959625579333.post-8199719438280788172011-09-07T07:44:00.000-07:002011-09-08T07:51:48.566-07:00Deciding to Follow My Dreams or My Heart<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEAd5AMaWukJ0HSZArBTROJbLe7ZQt8kMNgW329XFpq7PSQRKANsYp_FVqPOb7JBgVj2uB6pq3YRGYEynqdnbc3U-PPOrqXWawUyTsuZbYPwcA263YOIh_LOBmbZMZ-VHR3ElQhLtqLPk/s1600/choices.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEAd5AMaWukJ0HSZArBTROJbLe7ZQt8kMNgW329XFpq7PSQRKANsYp_FVqPOb7JBgVj2uB6pq3YRGYEynqdnbc3U-PPOrqXWawUyTsuZbYPwcA263YOIh_LOBmbZMZ-VHR3ElQhLtqLPk/s1600/choices.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="right">Art by Zoran Ozetsky</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I’m sad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know what to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have the opportunity to follow a dream, a passion of mine but that would mean being separated from my boyfriend for as long as a year.</span><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I don’t know what to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">My boyfriend shouldn’t come before my dreams and my goals, but I guess I didn’t think I would ever have to choose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I always thought the direction my life was going in and the direction his life was going in would overlap…but that’s not necessarily the case.</span><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I’m going to have to make a choice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I don’t know what to do.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I want my life to have purpose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want to follow the path that God has carved out for me, but I want that path to include my boyfriend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But maybe it doesn’t or maybe it shouldn’t.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Maybe it’s not about what I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">want</i>, but about what He (God) wants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe I’m over thinking it and it will work itself out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe this is a test—a test to show that my purpose in life and what God wants for me comes before my boyfriend. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">So although I’m currently sad, I know that the end goal is worth it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If my boyfriend and I are meant to be together, then that will happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we are supposed to be apart, then that’s what will need to happy. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I have to live my life for Christ, not for my boyfriend. </span><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">So that’s what it is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s see where God leads me…</span></div>Brooke Alexandriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15535105870015736913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2403433959625579333.post-14224306675421820952011-09-02T06:00:00.000-07:002011-09-06T06:09:19.537-07:00Frustration<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHTs_JH5JuwgASW6hYWMh09-g2vISyIPKdICyKNDnGydf7vpngn6tiLVo1nkbES1J0mTgVp9OF9ACyRlhFZ18K38p51xN5wX2Y-17edUZ9UV47NyE9PJBfeBDzhyphenhyphenKb2TlL1g1svohuECU/s1600/frustrated.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHTs_JH5JuwgASW6hYWMh09-g2vISyIPKdICyKNDnGydf7vpngn6tiLVo1nkbES1J0mTgVp9OF9ACyRlhFZ18K38p51xN5wX2Y-17edUZ9UV47NyE9PJBfeBDzhyphenhyphenKb2TlL1g1svohuECU/s1600/frustrated.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Frustration arises as I talk to you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Blood boiling, pulse racing, fingers trembling—all from you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You make me so mad sometimes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I can’t even help it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">want</i> to get mad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">want</i> to get annoyed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">want</i> to get frustrated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But you have a special way of making me feel that way sometimes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s like in some way you know the exact trigger to pull to take me from 0 to 60.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Right now, I’m at 60.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m at my max.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not outwardly fuming, but inwardly boiling hot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m hot because I can’t count on you to make a decision about anything.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">One day you make a decision. You say one thing; you tell me it’s definitely happening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then the next day (literally), you saying something completely different and don’t bridge the gap between how we got from one “definitive” thing to another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">It’s frustrating because with all these broken promises, I begin to get offended because I take it personally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I take it personally when you decide not to come visit me at the last minute.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I take it personally when you say you’re going to call but end up with your friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I take it personally when you make a plan for your life and forget to consult with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I take it personally…<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">It is personal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You may not mean for it to be but it is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I, a person, am being taken for granted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I, a person, am offended.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And when I’m offended or get my feelings hurt, I express that in anger or frustration because those emotions are a little less “weak;” a little less vulnerable.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">So yes, I’m frustrated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m angry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I annoyed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m mad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, really, I’m hurt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m hurt that you can’t make decisions when it comes to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m hurt that you prioritize other things over me. And I’m hurt that you don’t do what you tell me you’re going to do.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Frustration arose as I talked to you…masking the hurt I felt as more promises were broken…<o:p></o:p></span>Brooke Alexandriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15535105870015736913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2403433959625579333.post-6369373220702634842011-08-26T15:08:00.000-07:002011-08-26T15:08:39.864-07:00Shaken by the Past<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5PlMgtz0BEfPfoP724H0YMuEapjRl97VMN9TAQN26Njj9XPQ-in4njsivknC7HPIz4zro1ojaFJM7csQpAky684Hn7rRq0x0MiheLJlxhL56Xcg5TRWVJ9VxdnbjV0ydV3nZk55NHjJ8/s1600/road.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5PlMgtz0BEfPfoP724H0YMuEapjRl97VMN9TAQN26Njj9XPQ-in4njsivknC7HPIz4zro1ojaFJM7csQpAky684Hn7rRq0x0MiheLJlxhL56Xcg5TRWVJ9VxdnbjV0ydV3nZk55NHjJ8/s1600/road.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm looking ahead on my journey...no more looking back!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Yesterday, I ran into someone I used to date. Physically, I kept it moving—didn’t pause, didn’t look back, didn’t miss a step.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But mentally, I was a bit rattled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t expect to see him; I hadn’t seen him since we had stopped talking…<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">We had stopped talking so abruptly that I always imagined that if I ever saw him again I would have so many questions, so many things to say, so many things to get off my mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But when I actually saw him, I had nothing to say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t worth it—I didn’t care.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In that moment, I was so happy with myself and with my life that it didn’t matter why this person did the things he did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t feel like absorbing the negative energy of a past relationship; drowning myself in the “what ifs” and the “how comes.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">It didn’t matter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In that moment, the thing I felt good about is that I have a man who loves me; who wouldn’t hurt me; and who’s here for the long run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have the absolute right man for me and this man that I had just run into was just a step in the journey toward finding that right man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">But, I must admit, even with being so in love with my boyfriend and knowing that he’s the right one for me…my emotions did go haywire for a bit when I saw him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were walking toward each other and I didn’t know if I was supposed to smile or be mean,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>if I should wave or not move, if I should stop and talk or keep walking…<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">So many questions, but in the end, I think I did the exact right thing and kept it moving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And that’s just it…you got to keep it moving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can’t look in your past and try to analyze it or try to make it better than what it was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s in the past for a reason. </span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I needed to look ahead of me and get to where I was going…so that’s what I’ve done.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Brooke Alexandriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15535105870015736913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2403433959625579333.post-34431604802745300732011-08-22T12:10:00.000-07:002013-01-14T15:00:18.105-08:00The Infinite Wisdom of Grandparents<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzmQhjS2mFhSLbBmcmrHQx4D23DN0umHX2z_T0sNGmDRdiSInq7CnBo429gQpBCAKJtw1TuaJnOYSRSlTje68S2eC1aCyasqu_9cw0LVdvCMPHluDagYexmpzAK_xteH1zxL6wgeABoE8/s1600/grandparents.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzmQhjS2mFhSLbBmcmrHQx4D23DN0umHX2z_T0sNGmDRdiSInq7CnBo429gQpBCAKJtw1TuaJnOYSRSlTje68S2eC1aCyasqu_9cw0LVdvCMPHluDagYexmpzAK_xteH1zxL6wgeABoE8/s1600/grandparents.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Simply put, my grandfather’s perspective on relationships is, </span><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">“When you see something you want, you better get it before it’s gone!” <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">That’s what my grandfather was thinking when he proposed to my grandmother 60 years ago at the age of 21 (she was 19).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They had both grown up on farms in the small city of Unadilla, Georgia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They had known of each other’s families growing up and started dating once they were adults.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After dating for just a few months, my grandfather proposed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He knew what he wanted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Sixty years later, he’s sitting beside his 26-year-old granddaughter who has been dating the same guy on and off for 5 years, and he asks me, “So why aren’t you married yet?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I chuckle because that’s a very loaded question.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It catches me off guard because we hadn’t been talking about relationships or anything like that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I pause and I respond simply, “Because no one has asked me.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Apparently, that was an insufficient response because he nodded his head and said, “Well, the next time I see him, I’m going to ask him what is taking so long.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I smiled to myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love the fact that my grandfather is going to ask the magic question that I’ve been wanting to ask.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My 82-year-old grandfather is going to ask my 24-year-old boyfriend, why it’s taking him so long to propose to a young woman he’s been dating for some time now!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I love the picture that the image paints in my mind and I’m also eager to hear how my boyfriend responds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My boyfriend is of the mindset that the situation has to be “right” before he proposes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But my grandfather would say that if you spend time waiting for a “right” time, you might lose out on a “right” woman. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">My grandfather saw in my grandmother the qualities that he wanted in a wife and 60 years later they are still together…he just wants the same thing for his granddaughter; </span><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">because what he would also say (in his infinite wisdom) is that if a man is making you wait too long, you need to move on!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Brooke Alexandriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15535105870015736913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2403433959625579333.post-19433433720229935962011-08-19T09:35:00.000-07:002011-08-22T06:14:52.317-07:00Stability<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPys5KsZjPsnjtx5gbxhOKQ7_nvS7JtX6pS1toSgvTktbg3PJ20rHq78_NAWFqRcUA8VmebE6IqgGRnRDUklMbjK-p5nPoGdpuf9ePgRm6TnE4xhD_B6o58wgu5anrPoRSpODa5hsK9_s/s1600/stability+maybe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPys5KsZjPsnjtx5gbxhOKQ7_nvS7JtX6pS1toSgvTktbg3PJ20rHq78_NAWFqRcUA8VmebE6IqgGRnRDUklMbjK-p5nPoGdpuf9ePgRm6TnE4xhD_B6o58wgu5anrPoRSpODa5hsK9_s/s1600/stability+maybe.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I’ve noticed that relationships require a certain level of stability in order to last.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A relationship that is constantly changing, constantly adapting, constantly presenting new questions and new issues usually falls apart.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Some relationships can’t even take infrequent changes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I heard of so many cases where a couple was doing fine, but as soon as they got married, the relationship crumbled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or two people who were dating exclusively, as soon as they put a title on it, they broke up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s like they let the commitment associated with marriage or with being “boyfriend and girlfriend” put pressure on them and the relationship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So it was really the pressure of the change, not the change itself that formed the crack in the relationship. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">So many things can add pressure to a relationship: having babies, not having babies, changing jobs, losing jobs, relocating, death in the family, illness in the family, even going through a significant weight gain or weight loss.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Humans need a certain level of certainty, so when change happens, we get anxious because we don’t know how to live in this new environment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We become very uncomfortable and that level of discomfort makes us very conscious of every element of the relationship—the good, the bad, and the crazy people!<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">That’s what I’m most nervous about when I think of my long-distance boyfriend and I moving to the same city—the pressure of it causing our relationship to deteriorate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The romantic in me says that love can conquer all and that if we’ve dated for this long, nothing can break us now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the realist in me says nothing is guaranteed and in matters of the heart, things don’t always make sense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">But the alternative is we don’t ever make a change; and that’s also not realistic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I’m going to have to take a risk…make a change…take the plunge…bite the bullet…and whatever other cliché I can insert here.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I guess if my relationship <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">does</i> fall apart, I can’t say that I didn’t take a risk…<o:p></o:p></span></div>Brooke Alexandriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15535105870015736913noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2403433959625579333.post-81819167606764510952011-08-17T06:06:00.000-07:002011-08-18T06:06:35.177-07:00Choosing YOUR Best Option<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1mkAzWvrtvS0pJJSv8McdIlBiu9b7YaUS2fL3abrhKZ4IsfWzg1PBlAB8sN7-AN56UT2LFTJ3FAV23UBfgIOAWdbfL7fUL3PZvHq-whgqNZ0t33MZKQtugGhVoKQrhsuftRYCvKbM9NM/s1600/broken+heart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1mkAzWvrtvS0pJJSv8McdIlBiu9b7YaUS2fL3abrhKZ4IsfWzg1PBlAB8sN7-AN56UT2LFTJ3FAV23UBfgIOAWdbfL7fUL3PZvHq-whgqNZ0t33MZKQtugGhVoKQrhsuftRYCvKbM9NM/s1600/broken+heart.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When you know there's a better option, do you just leave?</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Does having options of who to date make us feel good about who we choose or make us indecisive of who to choose?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">We live in a land of opportunity; a land of choices.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You have a choice of how and where to get our groceries, a choice of which of the 300 TV stations to watch, an infinite choice of music and multimedia at our fingertips…even a choice of hair color, eye color, and body type.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have a lot of options and our options are increasing every day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With that increase of options, we also have many options of people to date and ways to find those people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With the introduction of online dating and social networking within the last 10 years, it seems people are becoming more indecisive about whom they want to be with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and</i> if that person is right for them…<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Even once we start dating someone, we are always wondering whether this is the perfect person for me or if there is someone better out there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So what ends up happening is that we let “little” things erode our relationship and end up breaking up in pursuit of something better…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">…Once we are broken up, if it takes a while for that “something better” to come along, we start to doubt the decision we made to break up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, around this time, loneliness starts to set in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So then we are doubtful and lonely—these factors alone cause us to call up our exes and eventually get back together…at least until the next thing happens that causes us to want to break up again.</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">On and on it goes—this cycle of indecision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am extremely guilty of demonstrating this behavior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My boyfriend and I have broken up twice since we’ve been together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, I must admit, both times we broke up, it was for a reason.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>BUT honestly, the first time we got back together, we shouldn’t have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was too soon—nothing had changed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But we were lonely and were not confident with our decision to break up—we were indecisive.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">So what I’m learning is that although there are a lot of options, there may only be ONE best option for each person and if the person you are with doesn’t feel like the “best” option—make a decision…LEAVE. <o:p></o:p></span></div>Brooke Alexandriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15535105870015736913noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2403433959625579333.post-75061972783808361332011-08-15T06:57:00.000-07:002011-08-16T08:28:30.160-07:00Making Plans—With or Without Him<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnhid4tOG3Bm-CIpWm03HYW6rY5Vr1b8bZwuotIm28jcT59EaFY-kvM30VXdKY2lzJwpcOI2YSw1vfSdPppYn-zyjlCno9G88L2ij5YHA_b0H7HHo9hhcNE9D_B2XltR62pIJ9c_gTRwE/s1600/girl+gaze.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnhid4tOG3Bm-CIpWm03HYW6rY5Vr1b8bZwuotIm28jcT59EaFY-kvM30VXdKY2lzJwpcOI2YSw1vfSdPppYn-zyjlCno9G88L2ij5YHA_b0H7HHo9hhcNE9D_B2XltR62pIJ9c_gTRwE/s1600/girl+gaze.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I don't know what the future holds, but moving forward regardless.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">As I’m planning out my life, I want to make sure my boyfriend is included in those plans, but I also don’t want to make any assumptions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every time I’ve started to assume things, reality smacks me in my face.<o:p></o:p></span> <br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I want him to be a part of my future, but I don’t want to assume he <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">will</i> be a part of my future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the flip side, I don’t want to assume that he <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">won’t</i> be a part of my future either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m in a lose/lose situation—when I don’t include him in my future plans, I hurt his feelings; but when I automatically <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">do</i> include him in my plans, I risk getting <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">my</i> feelings hurt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">How long do you have to be dating before you can start automatically including the other person in future life plans?<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I have a friend of mine who was dating a guy for ten years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were extremely happy (at least, it seemed that way) and they had been talking about marriage and babies together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, one day, the guy just up and left my friend…left without a word, without a reason, without a sorry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span> He left her wondering what she did wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The truth is she didn’t do anything wrong, but that’s not how she felt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was comfortable in that relationship and he ended up blind-siding her.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Now, the moral of the story is not <em>Never make assumptions in a relationship</em>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I bet that is what she will take away from that relationship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The moral actually is <em>Always keep a sense of who you are in a relationship, so you’re never left feeling incomplete without the other person in your life.</em><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">So then maybe it’s not about when you can start including a person in your plans but what plans you are including them on and making sure you both want the same thing...then I guess you won’t have to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">assume</i> anything anymore…you would just know.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Brooke Alexandriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15535105870015736913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2403433959625579333.post-9860805244127586152011-08-12T13:25:00.000-07:002011-08-12T13:25:30.439-07:00What More Could You Want?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxoaCq86whtm1rzkBBEbdzBdgVsRkFwfQ5C7wBLlgy4_HPzQxNFl_-RpA1w7aCrTGfuMCHfEcLHoZtj9NKvCOrBBY3jP5e3dvn9LNO1ft-qgQBlGL6XcChx6AUJ2DZzCwuDEmz2tXNlm0/s1600/man+silhouette+ii.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxoaCq86whtm1rzkBBEbdzBdgVsRkFwfQ5C7wBLlgy4_HPzQxNFl_-RpA1w7aCrTGfuMCHfEcLHoZtj9NKvCOrBBY3jP5e3dvn9LNO1ft-qgQBlGL6XcChx6AUJ2DZzCwuDEmz2tXNlm0/s320/man+silhouette+ii.gif" width="172" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Is it enough to have a man that loves you or does he need to be <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">in love</i> with you?<o:p></o:p></span> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Is it enough that he cooks you dinner or does he need to make <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all</i> your favorite meals?<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Is it enough that you’ve met all his friends or should you have met his parents too?<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Is it enough that he has a job or does he need to work in Corporate America?<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Is it enough that he has his own place or does he need to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">own</i> that place too?<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Is it enough that he spends money on you or does he need to be able to buy you all the nicest things?<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Is it enough that he has a car or does he need to have a luxury car?<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Is it enough that he cares about you or does he need to have a plan for your lives together?<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Is it enough that he wants to marry you or does he need to be popping the question tomorrow?<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Is it enough that he has a plan for his <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">week</i> or does he need to have goals and plans for his <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">life</i>?<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Is it enough that he spends time with you or does he need to spend <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all</i> his time with you? <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Is it enough that you and he have the same basic morals and values or do you need to be lock-step on all issues?<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Is it enough that you can tolerate his family or do you need to address his mother as “mom”?<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Is it enough that he isn’t out of shape or does he need to have a ripped, bulging biceps?</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Is it enough that deep down he is everything you’ve ever wanted or do you need to know something more?<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">What more could you want?...<o:p></o:p></span></div>Brooke Alexandriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15535105870015736913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2403433959625579333.post-65414480998996201872011-08-10T06:52:00.000-07:002011-08-11T04:59:17.772-07:00Everything's Back in Focus<span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I feel different today—I feel differently about my boyfriend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I feel like my love for him has finally graduated to the next level.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t explain it, but something is definitely different.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTIFgDmRlz91pdwKjCMwP0paY0LKkwSwKNFtDQ3oEzM8tc7E3ZYYDg664QYTSx_a-BJoTVc3o1MqFYZXxLXGW71XqdNswlppVpRBsuK136pWa24aFcOcabVENtqqcj5_42QXIAwViq_rQ/s1600/eye+chart+with+glasses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTIFgDmRlz91pdwKjCMwP0paY0LKkwSwKNFtDQ3oEzM8tc7E3ZYYDg664QYTSx_a-BJoTVc3o1MqFYZXxLXGW71XqdNswlppVpRBsuK136pWa24aFcOcabVENtqqcj5_42QXIAwViq_rQ/s1600/eye+chart+with+glasses.jpg" /></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I have a renewed focus on our relationship and want to do things to make him happy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have more security in our relationship and feel excited about where we are going.</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">But it can’t all be roses and sunshine—there has to be a catch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every time I start to get comfortable in a relationship, something happens to tell me, <em>don’t get too comfortable, don’t let your guard down, don’t lose yourself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></em>So I’m waiting for that “something” to happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m waiting for the ball to drop, the bomb to go off, the mystery to be revealed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">But by waiting for something bad to happen, will I inadvertently create something bad?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Will I be looking so hard for that “something” to appear that it magically yet irrevocably shows its face?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I want this happy moment to last, I do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I will do what I need to do in order to make it stay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, what I’m realizing is that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I’m</i> usually the issue, the “something.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s me that usually sabotages our happiness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I need to save our relationship from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">me</i>. </span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I</span></i><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;"> need to not drop the ball.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I</i> need to not set off the bomb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I</i> need to not uncover a mystery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s on me…I’m my own worst enemy.</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">So with that in mind, I’m going to do my best to get out of my own way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m done sabotaging my relationship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love this feeling I have now toward my relationship and I want to make it stay.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">They say “awareness” is the first step to recovery, so I’m on my way to be a recovered “relationship sabotager”!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wish there was a meeting for us, cause I’m not sure I can sustain this on my own forever!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>: /<o:p></o:p></span></div>Brooke Alexandriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15535105870015736913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2403433959625579333.post-77561326932672171212011-08-05T13:58:00.000-07:002011-08-05T13:58:37.135-07:00Where's the Passion?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQe8e2oeS57Eb0WMcH9k6GUlTH513q28JQuxVwQt0-sYjSXCtvLBfcSMJcacn18x8DQfrx3QWN2C60xQw7zOuIPGRdQLQxS1RXdx4vVET-X37SHSzf3GKznenGkhBiARkt_ADc4ZC3CCI/s1600/couple+kiss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQe8e2oeS57Eb0WMcH9k6GUlTH513q28JQuxVwQt0-sYjSXCtvLBfcSMJcacn18x8DQfrx3QWN2C60xQw7zOuIPGRdQLQxS1RXdx4vVET-X37SHSzf3GKznenGkhBiARkt_ADc4ZC3CCI/s1600/couple+kiss.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">What happens when the passion fades in a relationship?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What happens when there’s no more excitement, no more thrill, no more “pizzazz.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What happens when you stop putting in time to really please your mate?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">What happens is…your relationship gets dull, gets stale, gets boring!<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I’m desperately attempting to save my relationship from getting boring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I feel it going down that path and I refuse to let it continue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I refuse to be in a relationship that doesn’t have any passion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I need to have passion toward my man and he needs to be passionate about me…<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">But recently, my man has lost his “mo-jo.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He doesn’t have as much game as he used to. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He used to sweep me off my feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He used to do little things for me to surprise me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He used to catch me off guard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Now, he <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">surprises</i> me by how boring he has gotten.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s not creative anymore or spontaneous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know he still loves me deeply but we are starting to act like an old married couple instead of a young, vivacious in-love couple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I want the world to know we are in love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, right now, if someone looked at us, they would think we are friends who kind of liked each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">That’s not good enough for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I need “wow,” I need “pop,” I need magic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">So now the question becomes, “how do I put the magic back into my relationship?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I need help figuring that one out…<o:p></o:p></span></div>Brooke Alexandriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15535105870015736913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2403433959625579333.post-70473345103030032022011-08-03T15:33:00.000-07:002011-08-03T15:33:21.796-07:00A Matter of Choice?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg70UBkGgzPO20c8Nv3mGx1jA_E9FR6RbJJh54Isn4ZGdtJWiUi4Vy3TLqzvf0RAyW6TKrLvlSkX-R-c-OeVtbhTeeUE8yQ1MQVEAXhRD6k7EqkBCWJZ_RTLekyU9MKmyFttJadppDOMK4/s1600/arrows.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg70UBkGgzPO20c8Nv3mGx1jA_E9FR6RbJJh54Isn4ZGdtJWiUi4Vy3TLqzvf0RAyW6TKrLvlSkX-R-c-OeVtbhTeeUE8yQ1MQVEAXhRD6k7EqkBCWJZ_RTLekyU9MKmyFttJadppDOMK4/s1600/arrows.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Is it true that men are unable to multi-task and think comprehensively?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or is it that they <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">choose</i> not to do multiple things at one time, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">choose</i> not to get involved in the details and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">choose</i> not to engage on all levels?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Are they really incapable or is it a choice?</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">As women, we experience multiple situations where we’ve asked the man, our man, to do something and even though they’ve agreed to do it, they wait a long time to get it done, don’t do it all the way, or totally forget to do it altogether.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So are they really incapable of doing what you’ve asked them to do in a timely manner or is it that they don’t choose to do it until they feel like it?<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I’m starting to think it’s a choice…</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I’ve asked my boyfriend on multiple occasions to please check his work calendar and find a weekend that he has off so we can plan a vacation together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To me, that seems like an easy thing to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But for some reason he has yet to do it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Surely, he’s capable of checking his calendar and seeing when he will be off, so by process of elimination I must conclude that he chooses not to do it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I don’t think he makes the choice to not do something maliciously or even intentionally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I believe he chooses not to view it as a priority and, consequently, forgets to do it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Maybe that’s it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most men view half the things women request of them as a low priority...<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Take out the garbage</span></i><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">?...low priority<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Mail something for me</span></i><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">?...low priority<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Call me at a certain time</span></i><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">…low priority<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Call the insurance people</span></i><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">?...low priority<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Feed the kids</span></i><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">…low priority<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Take the dog out</span></i><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">…low priority<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Pay the bills</span></i><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">…low priority<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Or maybe it’s the fact that we “the woman” have requested it that they view it as low priority.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So if they’ve thought of it themselves, all of a sudden, it’s a brilliant idea that needs to be handled immediately.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">So I’m shifting my energy away from getting him to do something that I’ve requested and toward getting him to come up with the idea himself…you know, let him be the man!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>;)<o:p></o:p></span></div>Brooke Alexandriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15535105870015736913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2403433959625579333.post-5465901430876573812011-08-01T12:18:00.000-07:002011-08-01T12:18:17.230-07:00Loving Without Restriction<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJSBvcjxFTpwl-tlKGi-QwpMFWtjZYJev3ieeGDzXoTE8lyDyy2rD8ucik8y5cTENR-RC91IT_XMYlQmmdZfSSYt5DSRn2aGyuG7K-4dP1tx4xpr9TRJ9OAB1hDy80t8Wehr2gCFNvAZ4/s1600/chained_love.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJSBvcjxFTpwl-tlKGi-QwpMFWtjZYJev3ieeGDzXoTE8lyDyy2rD8ucik8y5cTENR-RC91IT_XMYlQmmdZfSSYt5DSRn2aGyuG7K-4dP1tx4xpr9TRJ9OAB1hDy80t8Wehr2gCFNvAZ4/s1600/chained_love.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I need to be happy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No matter what happens with my life, no matter what I end up doing, I need to be happy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I need to be happy with myself and I need to be happy with the one I’m with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My man needs to make me happy…at all times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want to be happy at all times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want him to be able to fix my bad days, lighten my heavy mood, ease my weary spirit, solve my toughest issues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want him to love all over me and kiss away my pain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In times when I can’t make myself feel better, I want him to come to my rescue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I must admit, sometimes I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">need</i> him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I need him to be there for me and that’s hard for me to say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s hard for me to admit that I need this man in my life, not out of dependence, but out of desire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I need his spirit, I need his energy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I need him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Although I need him, I refuse to tell him that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I refuse to let him know my full desire for him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> I'm n</span>ot sure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A pride thing, I guess.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t let him know that my happiness is reliant upon his happiness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">When I was totally reliant on him in the past, it burned me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He ended up abusing my love and I just can’t go through that again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I used to be smitten; now, I’m smarter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t want to love blindly…I don’t want to get hurt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I want to be happy. I want to love freely. I want him to know how much I love him<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">—</span>but at what cost?<o:p></o:p></span></div>Brooke Alexandriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15535105870015736913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2403433959625579333.post-28227769330732333772011-07-27T13:56:00.000-07:002011-07-27T13:56:54.236-07:00Drifting Away<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQwHMSXHGUxVyBC_D-edi3TG5OALNfyQUOJvTvJu_cPV870Wheyze8lXGUfo2RqrFhvxWvmEbFKtv3FKiww6slD0t8yeJLO7weKWd8nMS-BMzZ8hD8tFcUrXfpmak8Xt7-IVwuvn0zvZM/s1600/eye+drop+-+must+credit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQwHMSXHGUxVyBC_D-edi3TG5OALNfyQUOJvTvJu_cPV870Wheyze8lXGUfo2RqrFhvxWvmEbFKtv3FKiww6slD0t8yeJLO7weKWd8nMS-BMzZ8hD8tFcUrXfpmak8Xt7-IVwuvn0zvZM/s1600/eye+drop+-+must+credit.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="right"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by Rick Sampson</span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I feel myself pulling away from you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not sure why and I’m not sure when, but I definitely am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t feel as close to you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The love is still there, but the emotion is not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I have this strong sense right now that I need to focus on me. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I need to be all about me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That doesn’t necessarily mean that I can’t have you around or that I don’t <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">want</i> you around, but I can’t continue to focus solely on you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have to start living for me.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I’m so exhausted and worn out with my life—I need to start doing things that make me happy, that bring life back into my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And right now, you are dragging me down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m so concerned with your issues and your problems, that it’s consuming me and my disposition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I feel as though I have your same issues and that’s not the case.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At least, I can’t let it be the case.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">My emotions have no time to be carrying the burdens of two people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have enough happening in my own life that I need to start paying attention to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can’t keep having two people focused on you and no one focused on me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s not fair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I need to get my life back to a level of fairness…I need balance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I need to be happy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Being without you does not make me happy, so that’s not what I want.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I’m not sure how to get happiness in my life when I’m focused on you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">So I’m going to need to be selfish for a while as I focus on the things that I enjoy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m going to start saying “no” to people and start doing what I want to do to bring me joy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I need to pull away from you a bit and start pulling in more of myself. <o:p></o:p></span></div>Brooke Alexandriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15535105870015736913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2403433959625579333.post-43988697488356374722011-07-20T10:13:00.000-07:002011-07-21T10:25:15.056-07:00The Mystery We Call Love<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlPnAba_vYw59IcwkbfOc7_u4BzTi5be1Sc9Be60GQyN9WSpVKrQ_Qho_8mDcj33V-6YfdvXrc_hTrPHeF3zM6EhrXp76c35z4oqaJVp6eYMH_NnvskB9BaIIPxbanE5kpTt9fszfhiO8/s1600/light+heart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlPnAba_vYw59IcwkbfOc7_u4BzTi5be1Sc9Be60GQyN9WSpVKrQ_Qho_8mDcj33V-6YfdvXrc_hTrPHeF3zM6EhrXp76c35z4oqaJVp6eYMH_NnvskB9BaIIPxbanE5kpTt9fszfhiO8/s1600/light+heart.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Love is a mysterious thing—it cannot be explained, it cannot be defined, it cannot be rationalized, it cannot be described.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Love is a feeling—it just <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s just there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Love has no timeframe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has no constraints.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Love is just present—it just shows up; sometimes unexpectedly, sometimes unknowingly, sometimes unwarranted, sometimes unmotivated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Love doesn’t follow the rules; in fact, it often breaks them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Love doesn’t make sense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It doesn’t make common sense, but somehow knows what’s best for you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Love looks past the superficial—love doesn’t care what a person does, what a person looks like, what a person’s goals are, what a person’s background is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Love only cares about who a person is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">today</i>. ..how it feels about that person <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">right now</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Love cannot be summed up in words…so when my boyfriend asks me why I love him, it’s hard for me to answer, because it’s just a feeling—it’s what is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s hard for me to describe to him the feeling of comfort I get when he’s lying next to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s hard for me to explain the feeling of loneliness when I haven’t seen or talked to him in a while.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s hard for me to explain the confidence I feel when I look at him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">I can’t explain a feeling, which sometimes makes it hard to tell others <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">why</i> I like him so much or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">why</i> we are still together, or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">why</i> he is the man for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Love doesn’t allow for why’s—only who’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Love chooses the person to attach itself to and tries not to let go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Love finds the object of its affection and doesn’t have time to explain it, describe it, rationalize it, or define it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I’m</i> going to stop trying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 356.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt;">Who I choose to love is a mystery—let’s just leave it at that…<o:p></o:p></span></div>Brooke Alexandriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15535105870015736913noreply@blogger.com0