Striving For Perfection

Alright, I know I’ve talked about soul mates a lot on here, so I’m going to try to steer clear of that subject today. Instead, I’m going to talk about something that is similar and not so similar at the same time. I’m going to talk about The Perfect Guy/Girl. We all have an idea in our mind about what the perfect person would be for us. And if you say you don’t, you’re probably lying. Everybody hopes that they’ll find someone that surpasses all of our hopes and dreams of who we want to date and marry. Some people have an idea in their mind of their perfect person that is so detailed that they could go on for hours talking about each and every aspect of that person. Some of us are a little less picky, but we still would like to find that perfect somebody. I know that I have an idea in my mind of what my perfect girl would look and act like, but I’m not going to go into any details about her.

The problem is, are some of us so focused on finding that perfect person that we neglect to see the people around us who would still make us happier than we’ve ever been, even if they aren’t what we envisioned? I tend to notice girls doing this more than guys. And there are reasons for that. Girls have been spoiled by fictional characters such as Edward Cullen. Ask any girl who they’d marry if they could marry anybody and almost 95% of them will respond with: Edward followed by a heavy sigh and a dreamy look on their face. So many girls are hoping to find their personal Edward that they will skip over great guys in their quest to find him. And it’s not just fictional characters, and it’s not just girls that do this. Guys become so enthralled by actresses like Megan Fox that they can’t possibly imagine a girl as wonderful as her, and because of that, they will not see the amazing girls that are standing right in front of them.

I guess what I’m getting at is this: Do too many of us have our sights set to high when it comes to who we will date? Are we so infatuated with the thought of a perfect person who likely doesn’t exist that we will ignore other people in the hopes that, one day, that thought will become reality? I truly hope not. As much as I’d like to meet and marry the person I have perfected in my mind, I know that it’s highly unlikely that I ever will.

What does everyone else think? Do you have an idea of the perfect person for you? What are some of their qualities? Share them with us. Let’s try to get a discussion going.

What if...

Have you ever thought about how your life would be different if you didn't grow up in the religion you did? I never really have, but a good friend of mine asked me that exact question a while back and it got me thinking. What would my life be like if I wasn't LDS? Would I still have the same morals and values I have now? Would I smoke or drink? Would I be covered in tattoos and piercings? What religion would I be? What type of people would I date?

I honestly don't know. I'm pretty sure I can answer a few of these questions, such as the smoking one. Smoking is stupid no matter what religion you are. And I'm pretty sure I would not be covered in tattoos and piercings. (That's not to say that I wouldn't have one or two of each.) But as for dating? I'm really not sure. As it is, I don't just date LDS girls. In fact, my high school girlfriend was Catholic. I think that, even if I didn't grow up LDS, I would still try to date upstanding girls rather than trashy, skanky ones. There's just something really attractive about a girl who cares about who she is and what she stands for, LDS or not.

But, I do think it would be a little bit more... freeing to not have to limit myself to marrying only LDS girls. I can think of several non-LDS girls I've met that I would gladly date, but I don't simply because of the fact that we would not be able to get married in The Temple. And I'm not trying to say that I want to marry outside of the church, nor that I plan to. But, there are a lot more options for marriage when you broaden your dating horizons.

What do you all think? What would your life be like if you weren't LDS? (Or if you weren't the religion you are?) What would you do differently with your life?

I Want To Be Loved...

Love is probably one of the most mystifying forces in the Universe. It can be given freely, but not taken forcefully. When you do give it away, you are not always guaranteed anything in return. When it is given away and returned, it continues to grow and grow in strength. It can be given to anybody you feel is deserving of it, but it cannot be easily taken back. It will cause people to do things they never thought possible and say things that they never knew they had the words to express. It is completely intangible, but is felt all the time by those who have received it.

What is it about love that is so intoxicating to the human race? What is it that will cause us to go to any length to find and be with the person we love? Why do we continue to throw ourselves back in front of the oncoming train that is the dating scene in the hopes that we will find someone who has the same feelings of passion that we have for them?

The path to true, irrefutable love is a steep, rocky climb that cannot be circumvented or bypassed no matter how much we would like to. Despite how easy it looks, you cannot reach the pinnacle of the mountain that is love without supreme determination and a few cuts and bruises.

There is no greater high in the world than the feeling you get when the person you would die for tells you that they feel the same way about you. The word “love” is thrown around very carelessly these days, but the actual feeling of love is much, much harder to give someone. When two people are in love, it is like they are constantly putting themselves out on a precarious ledge knowing that, should they fall, the other person will always be there to catch them, comfort and hold them, and place their feet back on solid, secure ground.

Love will not tolerate doubt; the two concepts are polar opposites of each other and cannot be together. One will always destroy the other.

Sorry, I’m feeling rather poetic today for some reason. Let’s see, how can I wrap this up? How about this: To all my readers, share your thoughts on love with me, be they positive or negative. It doesn’t even have to be feelings about relationships, just love in general.