I should clarify my previous two posts.

I used to be a hopeless romantic. Turns out that part of that deal is being hopeless. Should have figured. For the longest time, I bought into the Romantic glorification of falling in love. I'm done with that, now.

Done.

I have found in a scant few years of mixed romantic experiences that feelings, even strong mutual feelings, fluctuate. They can disappear and reappear. Can and do. So why base a relationship on something so inconsistent? Or a marriage? Yet the expectation, the clich?, is "fall in love and get married." At least, it was.

Marriage has lost its meaning, as far as some people are concerned. It's a promise that's almost expected to be broken. I would suggest that this is because so many couples expected to stay in love forever. No one told them that it doesn't work that way.

More and more often, I realize that central aspects of the world around me are dysfunctional. I think the very institution of dating may be one of them, as we're expected to approach it.

So, I may just be done with that, too.

I'm in the process of formulating an... alternate approach. It will involve lots of prayer, a philosophical discussion or two I'm sure, and much reading of the Bible. Sure, I'll still fall in love from time to time, but I intend to have an entirely different reaction. The romantic in me is protesting loudly, but he's had his say in the past. I think it's time for something new.