Although many of us would be lost without the Internet, the idea of finding a potential mate via website still meets slow reception. Typical responses:
- Isn't it awkward?
- Can't they lie?
- What if they end up being crazy, creepy, weird, etc.?
No matter if you meet someone at a bar/club, a social event, through friends, or online... there will always be doubts and issues that you'll come across when you make yourself available. It's the nature of the beast.
I could go into the pros and cons of online dating, but my focus today is on openness. I define the term as being in a position to accept. I will relate this idea to my recent event, but it can be applied to other things in life besides courtship.
It's a scary thing. The potential for failure is high, due to the amount of unknown variables you will ultimately come across. In the case of the online date, besides potentially safety issues (which we all initially fear), there were the possibilities of us not communicating well, our beliefs not aligning, or no physical chemistry.
Being available to let things in seems like an easy endeavor, but it requires some energy, effort, and time to actually follow through with the idea. I ended up doing prep work before my actual date, which included scoping out potential locations, reading a little bit about some topics we had discussed prior, and planning out options if the date needed to end early.
Ultimately, when you truly put yourself out there to accept opportunities, whether or not it turns out to be a success, you gain experience and perspective. My date was nice, with conversation flowing well. I tried an all-vegan cuisine for the first time. And though there wasn't a connection, I learned a little bit more about what I'm eventually looking for as well as what I'm not interested in.
