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Day 88 Red Flags


Do you put your significant other on a pedestal?  I’m sure there’s a height that’s acceptable and then there’s a height where it might be an inch or two high.  When I talk about height I’m talking high enough that you don’t see the red flags waving in unison beneath it.  All in the name of love of course.  I asked my friend this the other night, who is married and he said that you have to put your married partner on a pedestal otherwise how would you be able to put up with all of their stuff?  Makes sense doesn’t it?  It’s a noble thing to place your partner on a pedestal, right?  Well that’s my fear today when I am in the role of making a decision to choose a partner.  I understand that the partner has to be online with that decision also.  That kind of choice is also what I miss when the pedestal is being utilized.  It’s not always an either/or when a third person is involved.   And if we like each other that’s not tantamount to agreeing that a relationship is in our future either. That’s a red flag that I’m completely color blind to too many times.  Granted it’s a shade of red drifting more to the dumbass side of decisions than the “I’m going to die” side.  That’s a good topic, the shades of the reds in these flags flying high.

I’m just not used to being single for a long period of time.  There was a time when I thought it was natural to have to be in a relationship and I would spend all of my time trying to fulfill that obligation despite any shade of red.  I’ve bled red in these blogs about some of those relationships.  You would think that I would be blessedly peaceful during the respite between romances.  Believe me, I am between romances too.  I like being in a relationship but I have so much charged history with said flags that I’m getting more gun shy by the day.  I try to keep my head up and my heart open and walk the daily path alone and without remorse biting my ass occasionally.  I sometimes feel a lack on Friday afternoons when I realize that I don’t have any romantic plans with anybody and end up going to bed around 8:30 like any old man would do.  A touch of pity does haunt me but I push it out as I am wary of any feeling that touches the depression side of me.  Stay away from this guy.  I am peaceful though, most of the time.  It’s only when I think about it that I get a bit melancholic.  Why?  I’ve learned enough about myself that I don’t need the validation from a woman to feel fulfilled as a human.  Most of the time.  I’m coming from a place of extreme fatigue so part of this may not make too much sense.  Probably more eerie then sensical.

I’m resiliently strong that I know.  I’ve been through one hell of a life and to be still kicking it is a testament to my emotional strength.  I’m working hard to convince myself that I’m doing way okay here.  So what happens when I get close, within breathing distance of a relationship?  I test the waters with my humor and see how far I can push it.  Trust me, it can go miles on its own.  Trouble is when I get started my boundaries diminish to zero and I say one or more things too much.  Then a nugget of guilt and/or shame starts to coalesce where I only want shiny stuff to reside.  So I back off of that but I don’t forget where I went.  I can judge myself harshly because it’s the same set of boundaries circling that area of my emotional bent.  Now I’m thinking too much when I’m within talking distance again.  My mind isn’t clear because of the fear of going too far.  Now I’m not talking paralyzing stuff but enough to make the picture cloudy.  If she doesn’t run away from that I start thinking, “Hey, she likes it.  She may even like me!”  I will take a like as a ticket to ride on the relationship train that is just pulling into the station.  It is just pulling in and it doesn’t mean that I’m meant to ride on it either.  But I push that thought aside.  I almost have to.  I don’t know why but I just do.

I’m a sensitive guy so I pepper my conversation with history or anecdotes that will uncover that and a lot of women like that.  I’m not a Shirley girly guy but I have enough sensitivity and intelligence that makes me fairly attractive.  I’m not comparing myself to movie stars or celebrities but for my level of existence it isn’t a routine relationship that is sparking itself together.  I pick up on feelings, not all the time but when I’m not in a total self-absorption vacuum I do get it.  I know what makes you tick to an elevated degree and I play into it nicely.  I can get you to open up and with that vulnerabilities are exposed and emotional banking is starting to add up.  You know that you can trust me to be open minded.  This is how I am most of the time, I do have my moments of “It’s all about me” too so I’m not pushing the best guy button all of the time.  I think I’m like most men but prettier.  Ha ha!

Now if they’re responding to all of this I think my ticket has been punched many times by the conductor of love and I’m well on my way to bf/gf land.  I just start traveling there regardless of what the story is with the other person, what they want us to be.  Then I will start to nudge a bit and test the water to see if it’s going in that direction.  My pattern is to do this regardless if they’re in a relationship or not.  I figure if they’re talking to me in same like way then there is interest in following through.  I’m just being honest of how I think these things out.  Yes you may see the red flags waving violently but all I’m doing is enjoying the breeze.  What I don’t realize is that I’m setting myself up for damage whether it is intentional or not.  But I can’t seem to play that tape all the way out and feelings get trounced on for both of us.  Then I feel like I lost a little part of myself and also have played the role of a fool once again.  Not to the degree on a penetrating depression fool but a fool none the less.  Now it’s Friday and once again I’m getting ready for bed at 8:30.  I will speak more of this later.

1.       I’m grateful that I’m resiliently strong.

2.       I’m grateful for the mistakes I make because that lets me know that I still have a lot to learn.

3.       I’m grateful that I’m learning not to take myself to seriously so as not to hurt the protected child within.

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