Coupledom

Tonight I took my newish friend Amanda to the airport and on the way we caught up. We caught up about boys.

Before she even got in the car I knew this is what we were going to discuss. I think sometimes when women are in the early stages of getting to know one another they can’t help but gravitate to this universally understood topic.

Amanda shared her current complaints about the opposite sex and I mine. Then she said, “I just get so tired of having fun things to do and then not being able to go because I have no one to take me.”

“So go.” I said. “You have to just go. Don’t wait to have someone. Go enjoy life. That is how you meet people anyway.”

“I know…” she said the way a smoker would when being told for the thousandth time that she was bound to get cancer. She should quit but it is just so damn hard.

“It is hard,” I concurred with her silent objection. “Particularly, here-“

“Where I should be married already,” she interjected.

“Where you should be married and have already popped out a few babies.”

This is the reality of the Midwest and Amanda has a completely valid concern, here in the land of coupledom. But concern isn’t reason enough.

I know it isn’t easy, putting yourself out there, going it alone but sometimes you just have to do it. Sometimes you just have to learn to stand on your own two feet despite what you fear others might think.

The first few times are always awkward but before you know it, that independence becomes an intoxicating, necessary part of life – but maybe that is just me.

Amanda is a cool girl and I am sure she will find a great guy with whom to share her experiences but between now and then, I hope she doesn’t miss out.