Skip to main content

The Here and Now

The last few weeks have been a real eye opener about something that really challenges me: living in the here and now. I worry about the past repeating itself. I hope for an amazing future. But I cannot seem to just live today and be happy for what it is now. Most people who know me, think that I am either realistic or pessimistic. I don't think anyone has ever accused me of being overly optimistic.

Since meeting Mr. Perfect-for-Me, that has changed. I began to imagine my world getting brighter because I had figured out how to love again. I began to feel less alone and more accepted by someone than I ever have before. Then, I began to imagine what our future might hold. That wasn't my first mistake and it most certainly won't be my last. If nothing else, there is one constant in my life; I make a lot of mistakes.

Feeling this way and thinking this way, gave me the unrealistic expectation that maybe I had found someone I could spend a lifetime with. I forgot to consider whether it was what he wanted. I forgot to be realistic about my expectations for today because I was drunk on my imagined future.

Then I made another mistake. I confidently shared with him that I could imagine a forever with him. His response was honest and realistic. I wouldn't expect anything less from him. I let my hopes of the future color my judgement for today. So, when he said that he wasn't sure how long we'd last or how things would work out, it broke a small piece of my heart off. He admitted that he wasn't sure what the future held for us but he was open to whatever developed between us. 

In that moment, I realized that we were no where near the same place. He has said that he loved me. He has said that he really likes spending time with me. He asked me to be his girlfriend and we agreed we both wanted monogamy. He made those statements clearly. But somehow I felt like he was on the same page as me. Be he's not. He is in the here and now. I don't think that he can imagine a future with me at this point. I don't know what to do with that.

How do I convince myself to slow down and let him take the lead? How do I accept that we aren't in the same place? How do I live in the here and now? How do I learn to just enjoy today? How do I talk myself into backing down so that I don't completely push him away?

I don't know the right thing to do here is. But I hope that I can figure it out soon.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Another Month Flies By

Mr. Perfect-for-me came into my life and made me realize where all those metaphors, analogies & similes for love came from. I was struck by cupid’s arrow. I have absolutely fallen head over heels. He swept me off my feet. He is my other half, my better half. I could go on and on but I’m sure you get the idea. I don’t want anyone to think that I somehow made it to 41 years of age and got married twice without ever being in love. I have most definitely been in love before. This love feels different. Although the bible would usually be one of the last books that I would quote, I think it captured these last 2 months almost perfectly. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.  ~1 Corinthians 13:4–8a (ESV) Afte...

Attraction

Attraction is a complicated thing for me. Normally, I meet someone and as I get to know them, I find them more and more attractive. Because of this, I have dated all over the looks spectrum. Tall, short, big, small, dark, light, male, female, younger, older, etc. Maybe a handful of times, i have looked at someone that is so physically attractive to me, that I find myself staring.  More often than not, I date men. The reason for this is partially because of where I live. Another reason is that I find confidence very attractive and there is nothing more intimidating to me than a confident a woman.  The other night I was out at karaoke with friends. I saw a woman out of the corner of my eye. I immediately turned my head in her direction to see what exactly caught my eye. I can't even begin to tell you what was being talked about at our table at that moment because all I could hear was the blood rushing in my ears. I spent the rest of the evening trying not to stare. I tried to pa...

One Year Ago

One year ago you came into my life. You were everything I thought I wanted. But I wasn't what you wanted. Unfortunately, it took you 5 months to tell me and another 4 to get out of my life. I kept hoping that your heart would change your mind.  How naive was I to think someone like you could possibly love someone like me?  How did I make it to 42 years old still believing in unconditional love? How did I make it through 2 divorces still believing in forever love? How did I survive 3.5 years of being used by strangers and still believe that someone could possibly want more from me than sex? Maybe those questions don't even matter. Maybe the better question is if I ever stop loving you, will I still be able to believe in unconditional, forever love. This morning, I woke up thinking of you. Throughout the day, you were never far from my mind. I know I'll still be thinking about you when I fall asleep tonight.  That's how it has been for the last week. Watching today coming...