The Dating Game
I've been out of the dating game for a while now, and to be honest, I don't miss it much. It's hard to bear your soul to someone only to find out your personality, hopes and dreams don't match someone's checklist.
I've heard of possible relationships going south for a variety of reasons:
"He's just not tall enough."
"She wants a career and that intimidates me."
"He didn't serve an LDS mission."
"She has an annoying laugh. I couldn't get past it."
"He made some poor choices as a teenager, and that really bothers me."
There isn't anything wrong with striving to find the best partner. However, I find it detrimental to judge individuals based on societal, cultural, or even personal ideals.
In the New Testament, we read about Joseph. I'm sure that he had fantasized about his future wife and the life they would lead: They would marry and live in the house that Joseph built. They would raise sons, who would help Joseph with his carpentry. They would grow old together and ride off on a donkey into the sunset. (Or something like that.)
So imagine his shock when he learned that his fiancee Mary was pregnant. Pregnancy out of wedlock was a big deal in that time period -- an offense punishable by death.
But Joseph (good guy that he was) chose to "put her away privily" and then chose to marry her anyway.
We don't know too much about the life of Mary and Joseph, but I like to image that they were happy. They were happy even though Mary didn't fit the ideal.
My husband has a few differences from my dream boy; I always thought I would marry someone who was 6' 3", read his scriptures 24/7, and was also Zac Efron. But what I got was so much better than my childhood fantasies.
So if dating is a struggle, don't get discouraged. Mary didn't fit the ideal and neither should you. Be yourself. Enjoy the new acquaintances, awkward moments, and the free food. Someday you'll find someone who will accept you for the amazing person that you are, and together you can ride off on a donkey into the sunset. (Or something like that.)
I've heard of possible relationships going south for a variety of reasons:
"He's just not tall enough."
"She wants a career and that intimidates me."
"He didn't serve an LDS mission."
"She has an annoying laugh. I couldn't get past it."
"He made some poor choices as a teenager, and that really bothers me."
There isn't anything wrong with striving to find the best partner. However, I find it detrimental to judge individuals based on societal, cultural, or even personal ideals.
In the New Testament, we read about Joseph. I'm sure that he had fantasized about his future wife and the life they would lead: They would marry and live in the house that Joseph built. They would raise sons, who would help Joseph with his carpentry. They would grow old together and ride off on a donkey into the sunset. (Or something like that.)
So imagine his shock when he learned that his fiancee Mary was pregnant. Pregnancy out of wedlock was a big deal in that time period -- an offense punishable by death.
But Joseph (good guy that he was) chose to "put her away privily" and then chose to marry her anyway.
We don't know too much about the life of Mary and Joseph, but I like to image that they were happy. They were happy even though Mary didn't fit the ideal.
https://www.lds.org/bible-videos/videos/mary-and-joseph-travel-to-bethlehem?lang=eng
My husband has a few differences from my dream boy; I always thought I would marry someone who was 6' 3", read his scriptures 24/7, and was also Zac Efron. But what I got was so much better than my childhood fantasies.
So if dating is a struggle, don't get discouraged. Mary didn't fit the ideal and neither should you. Be yourself. Enjoy the new acquaintances, awkward moments, and the free food. Someday you'll find someone who will accept you for the amazing person that you are, and together you can ride off on a donkey into the sunset. (Or something like that.)
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