Editor's Note: This is part five of a five column seriesdealing with dating and relationships.
It was time for some desperate measures in dealing with thispainful love business. Mr. Hart was totally broken, Mr. Johnson wasscreaming his frustrations, and even the usually rational Mr.Einstein was shaking his head and calling a successful merger alost cause.
They'd gotten close to another company for a short period oftime, only to feel the scorpion sting of rejection. I'd had it withthese three lunk-heads mucking up my love life, so I'd called in an"outside consultant." Enter the glorious Athena, clad in mightyarmor, ready to smack them upside the head with some much-neededwords of wisdom.
The three sat at their table eating a lunch of fried chicken,Cheez-Its, Mountain Dew, and prairie oysters. As one would suspect,Mr. Johnson chewed with his mouth open. Athena stood in front ofthem, finishing her Power Point presentation, using her spear as apointer.
"And that concludes my proposal. To summarize: You, Mr. Hart,need to toughen your durability and not let every break-up destroyyou. It's time to recognize some cold, hard facts. For those likeyou, the passionate individualists, those who dare to live askew,love -- like many aspects of life -- will be difficult."
Mr. Hart was crying. "I don't want it to be difficult," he saidbetween sobs. "I just want to love. I have so much love inside me.I want to love someone and for them to love me back. That's all Iwant. I can't take it, can't understand it, when my love isrejected."
His mouth still full of food, Mr. Johnson goes to make one ofhis usual sadistic, smart-aleck remarks. Athena sees it coming amile away and viciously impales him on her spear. His id-fueledinfluence is the last voice needed now.
Mr. Einstein slides off his glasses, rubs between his eyes, andsays in exhausted desperation "I start to question who we are whenthis happens. What is wrong with us? Why are we unable to findsomeone who can understand, accept, and love us? Are we doingsomething terribly wrong?"
Athena looked at him with her laser-beam, penetrating gaze andsaid, "You, my friend, have a terrible tendency to overanalyzeeverything to the point where your thoughts become hallucinations.Action becomes a prisoner to your pondering."
The metaphor calmly melting away, Wisdom holds all broken heartsand troubled minds in her hands and whispers gentle, healingwords:
"My poor children, you must persevere. Model yourselves aftertwo great heroes of my time. You must be Odysseus. Your Penelopeawaits you. You mustn't give up the quest, though the viciousPoseidon, the world, may blow you to and fro, and there may be manybeasts to slay and temptresses to resist. But if you stay true toyourself you will eventually triumph."
"You must be Theseus. Enter the labyrinth of the relationshipwith the yarn of personal self-love -- self esteem -- streamingbehind you. Then you will never be lost within the chaos of theMinotaur's realm. Know that you are okay, and it doesn't matter ifyou get rejected seven times seventy times. Keep forgiving yourselffor not being all things to all people."
"I tell you this, my children, because you must go forth andembrace my oxymoron: love passionately with great wisdom."
Write to David at swimminginbrokenglass@yahoo.com
visit http://www.bsu.edu/web/dmswindle
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
