***Before I get into the beefy-ness of this, I feel the need to make a couple disclaimers. 1) This does not apply to any one in particular, it is just a summary of general observations, partly based on my Sunday school class. 2) I am going to be making a lot of generalizations about both men and women, and I do not claim that these generalizations are true about all, but merely that generally they apply to most. 3) I am writing this note based on my very limited experience, and it is intended to speak for those like myself. I do not claim to be an expert, so please excuse anything I say that might offend.***
It is my intent, with this risky venture, to express my feelings about the difference between man and woman. Now before you start getting all excited that I am finally going to reveal the secret mystery to understanding the opposite sex, I will not. Primarily because I don’t understand that myself. These are rather my own initial observations in the case study of my life.
The subject that I would like to touch on here is casual dating. I don’t really believe that there is such a thing.
Uh oh a minute, I can already hear you starting to argue, let me explain: if two people agree to “go out” together on a “date,” the sole purpose being having a good time and hanging out, then yes, I can classify that as casual dating. However, i ask that you notice the key phrase in that above definition: two people. Both. Agree. Together.
That being said, I think that this is an “agreement” that is not often adopted. Women are emotional beings; we tend to get really caught up in the fanciful ideas of what could be and what might be. This is not saying that when a guy asks us out the first time that we believe from that point that this is the man that we will be marrying, but I would be lying to say that we don’t feel a bit giddy at the prospect that this could be the beginning of something that has the potential of heading somewhere. We can tell you all day long that we are all about taking things slow, and that we aren’t serious, and more likely than not, we recognize and believe that to be the case. But there’s always the thought in the back of our minds, “What if?” Women get very emotionally involved and invested, and the slightest slight can throw a woman out of wack for a good while. Yes, it is absolutely ridiculous; it doesn’t make any sense at all, but that doesn’t make it less true.
So really there’s just one thing that I ask, and that is for men to be careful. There’s nothing wrong with “casual dating,” but make sure that the women realizes up front that that is the direction you are heading. Even if it is just a first date. We know that its not serious and we aren’t expecting a relationship based on that first date, but guard your actions, men. Be careful of your flattery and word choice; be careful of your treatment. Our hearts are much more easily broken, even when we are guarding them.
As I said, this was not meant to be a rant or to apply to one person or persons in particular. These are simply basic observations I have noted based on my own experiences and the experiences of other women like myself. God has given humans the incredible gift for love and we should take care to treasure it.
