The Former Traveling Spotlight

The tales of a "30" something gay former stand-up comic living in NYC who is searching for his soul mate or soul...which ever comes first.

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Happy Endings

Love is a four letter word describing an emotion. A fabulous, wonderful, strenuous, difficult, mind-fuck of an emotion each of us would do anything to experience just once (where we actually get it right).

Most of us are told as children that someday we will meet the one that is going to be with us forever. It's something we learn to grow up believing and for some people, this is the truth. Yet a quick look into the majority of marriages in the 70's or later shows an abundance of divorce rates and single parent households. Prince charming may be out there, but likely wasn't the guy who knocked up your mom. He is more likely mom's second, or third,...or 17th husband (in my case).

However most of us (myself included) hold onto the hope of meeting a "Prince Charming". The person who makes your heart beat faster when they are near and makes you forget that anyone else is around. That romantic lead who calls to ask you about your day, cooks you a spectacular meal, and wants you to know him better than he knows himself. The one who shares your life with you.

But what if Prince Charming really is only a fairy tale? At what point or age does a person need to look at life realistically and say: "This is it. No fairy tale ending. I'm destined to be alone, and need to make the best of it". Yes, it's cynical, but the statistics show that the longer you're single, the more likely it is you will stay that way. Why? I'm not sure. Call it being damaged goods, or that all the good ones already taken, or whatever other cliche you can possibly think of to describe the situation. But if you're in your 30's and not dating...you're in a big club. Is it eventually time to give up hope?

Not that anything is wrong with being alone. Men who never marry become "lifelong bachelors" and "playboys", while women unfairly become "old maids" and "spinsters". I like my life, and I value my friends more than my actual family, but being the single guy at certain times is a bit daunting. One can only go on so many bad dates before teh question of dating at all is pondered.

Do I belive in happy endings? Yes, but I think they may need redefined to represent illegal massage parlours.

Patrick - 11:05 AM -

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