Monthly Archives: April 2021

The Dream, The Dreamer, The Inflexible and The Flexible

30 Friday Apr 2021

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“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all
of which have the potential to turn a life around.” -― Leo F. Buscaglia

Date with The Dream: This guy looks exactly like a picture I have on my vision board.  I don’t have a type, but I wanted my board to have the picture of someone symbolizing a partner.  So I cut the face of a guy from an ad in a magazine.  This guy looks exactly like this picture.  It is uncanny.  It felt somewhat like faith when he contacted me.

We exchanged messages for months, even though he lives not too far from me.  He may have been concerned with Covid. He is 8 years younger and a professional photographer.

We met at La Herradura for dinner and drinks.  I was happy to see that he looked exactly like his picture.  He was sweet, and such a gentleman.

BUT, for some reason his speech and mannerisms were very distracting to me.  It detracted from his image.  I don’t think I would be able to date him and not want to change him.  I have the combination of an accent and a lisp, so I am well aware of the hypocrisy here.

I have learned about photo shoots, and working with clay. I had fun, good food, and we parted as friends.

“We are all hypocrites. We cannot see ourselves or judge ourselves the way we see and judge others.”― José Emilio Pacheco

Date with the Dreamer:  This man is 54 years old, and has lived in different parts of the country.  He is now in Pennsylvania to help with his parents.  I appreciate that!

He is very smart and well read, full of ideas for the future.  He wants to write a few books and shared his ideas with me.  I admire his ambition but it seems that he has lot of ideas, and not enough action.

We had a fun time over appetizers and drinks at Maria’s Restaurant, but not enough chemistry to embark on a long-distance relationship.

I learned about all his interesting book ideas, and also parted as friends.

“Once the soul awakens, the search begins and you can never go back. From then on, you are inflamed with a special longing that will never again let you linger in the lowlands of complacency and partial fulfillment. The eternal makes you urgent. You are loath to let compromise or the threat of danger hold you back from striving toward the summit of fulfillment.” -― John O’Donohue

Date with the Inflexible ex-cop:  He is my age, in great shape, takes very good care of his appearance; and apparently of his home.  He is retired from the police force and now works in security.

We met for coffee at R Café & Tea Boutique.  We spoke about everything for a couple of hours.  It was clear that even though he was a great guy, he is not for me.  He seemed a bit too set on his ways, inflexible in some areas.  I guess so am I.  I may be guilty of hypocrisy again ☹

I have learned about home improvements, and also of the struggles between a father and his adult children.  We parted as friends.

“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” ― Rumi

Date with the Flexible Gym Guy.  Tonight, I will be going to dinner with a 45-year-old tech guy.  That is, if he doesn’t annoy me too much with the request for pictures. He often sends me pictures of himself while out driving, exercising, whatever. Then he asks me to send one in return.

I never did, and the more he asks the more I don’t want to do it.  Yesterday I sent a picture of the crystals and rocks I have on my desk.  Perhaps he got the message finally.  I am not into exchanging pictures before meeting, and won’t feel pressured to do so.

He seems very intelligent, and plays the guitar.  He is very focused on his body lately.  He has a personal trainer and goes to the gym religiously.  He says he is at his best, as far as strength and flexibility. I am not that into exercise lately, so perhaps it is good to meet someone that is.  Maybe it will rub off on me.

Stay tuned for the details of the date.

“If you limit your choice only to what seems possible or reasonable, you disconnect yourself from what you truly want, and all that is left is a compromise.” ― Robert Fritz

You deserve more. Don’t settle for less.

28 Wednesday Apr 2021

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“Accept yourself, love yourself, and keep moving forward. If you want to fly, you have to give up what weighs you down.” ― Roy T. Bennett

My great friend Anthony sent me the text below.  It has been ascribed to Anthony Hopkins, but I am not really sure the source.  I just love it and wanted to share. 

′′Let go of the people who are not prepared to love you. This is the hardest thing you will have to do in your life and it will also be the most important thing. Stop having hard conversations with people who don’t want change.

Stop showing up for people who have no interest in your presence. I know your instinct is to do everything to earn the appreciation of those around you, but it’s a boost that steals your time, energy, mental and physical health.

When you begin to fight for a life with joy, interest and commitment, not everyone will be ready to follow you in this place. This doesn’t mean you need to change who you are, it means you should let go of the people who aren’t ready to accompany you.

If you are excluded, insulted, forgotten or ignored by the people you give your time to, you don’t do yourself a favor by continuing to offer your energy and your life. The truth is, that you are not for everyone and not everyone is for you.

That’s what makes it so special when you meet people who reciprocate love. You will know how precious you are.

The more time you spend trying to make yourself loved by someone who is unable to, the more time you waste depriving yourself of the possibility of this connection to someone else.

There are billions of people on this planet and many of them will meet with you at your level of interest and commitment.

The more you stay involved with people who use you as a pillow, a background option or a therapist for emotional healing, the longer you stay away from the community you want.

Maybe if you stop showing up, you won’t be wanted. Maybe if you stop trying, the relationship will end. Maybe if you stop texting your phone will stay dark for weeks. That doesn’t mean you ruined the relationship; it means the only thing holding it back was the energy that only you gave to keep it. This is not love, it’s attachment. It’s wanting to give a chance to those who don’t deserve it. You deserve so much, there are people who should not be in your life.

The most valuable thing you have in your life is your time and energy, and both are limited. When you give your time and energy, it will define your existence.
When you realize this, you begin to understand why you are so anxious when you spend time with people, in activities, places or situations that don’t suit you and shouldn’t be around you, your energy is stolen.

You will begin to realize that the most important thing you can do for yourself and for everyone around you is to protect your energy more fiercely than anything else. Make your life a safe haven, in which only ′′compatible′′ people are allowed.

You are not responsible for saving anyone. You are not responsible for convincing them to improve. It’s not your work to exist for people and give your life to them! If you feel bad, if you feel compelled, you will be the root of all your problems, fearing that they will not return the favours you have granted. It’s your only obligation to realize that you are the love of your destiny and accept the love you deserve.

Decide that you deserve true friendship, commitment, true and complete love with healthy and prosperous people. Then wait and see how much everything begins to change. Don’t waste time with people who are not worth it. Change will give you the love, the esteem, happiness and the protection you deserve.

“How would your life be different if…You stopped allowing other people to dilute or poison your day with their words or opinions? Let today be the day…You stand strong in the truth of your beauty and journey through your day without attachment to the validation of others” ― Steve Maraboli

From ghosting to gaslighting, to goodbye

20 Tuesday Apr 2021

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“Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed.” ― Alexander Pope

P. is out of the hospital and home recuperating. It is disappointing how I found out.

I hadn’t heard any updates from his sister or his friend.  Originally I was alternating sending daily texts and messages on OKCupid.  Then it was every couple of days.  I didn’t want to be overwhelming.  My messages were short and all it said was something like: “I hope you are getting better. Sending prayers.”

I imagined that he would be happy to see that there was someone thinking of him and wishing him well, as I would.  I thought that once he could get to his phone he would send me a note.  Not that I thought we would resume dating where we left off.  I thought we could be friends and go from there.   His focus should be on his health. 

Imagine my surprise when I logged on the dating site on Sunday morning and saw that the green light next to his name was on, meaning he was online. I didn’t want to jump to conclusions, perhaps somebody had his phone or computer or something.

I logged a few more times throughout the day and continued to see the green light.  Since I had been texting and messaging him all along it made no sense to text him again, so I texted his friend.

I was surprised.  Clearly, Peter has been getting my messages. I wonder why not say anything. Even if just to make me go away.  Say something like: “I am out of the hospital and resting.  I will be in touch when I am well.”

His friend seemed to imply I was bothering.  I took the hint. Case closed.

An hour later Peter wrote. Clearly his friend let him know I texted him.  At the top is my last text to him from 6 days earlier.  I don’t think I was over the top with the texting amount and content.



I didn’t reply.  Ten minutes later he messaged on OKCupid saying the same thing. I didn’t reply there either.  Clearly, he only texted me because his friend said something.

Just now, as I am writing this, I noticed that he sent me that text yesterday (it was an extra busy day yesterday). It changes nothing for me.

This chapter is done. I am glad he is out of the hospital and doing well. 

Later, still on Sunday, his friend wrote again:

WHAT?  He is surprised I am concerned?  He is the one that tracked me down on the dating site to let me know Peter was in the hospital.  Peter is the one that was already planning dinners and trips; and talking to friends and family about me.

This, to me, is an example of gaslighting.  Making it seem like I imagined things.   I didn’t reply.  

Then last night, he wrote again:

Offended? no.  Annoyed? yes.  But not worth the time and energy explaining to him that he was out of line. It is best to just move on.

I replied this morning:

It is indeed all good.  Everything is always good, and it is always as it is meant to be.  There are lessons here and I will eventually learn them.  But I will continue treating people as I want to be treated. I can live with that regret.

My disappointment is not because of another potential romance that has failed.  A romance failure just means I am getting closer and closer to the real thing.  I am disappointed that Peter couldn’t have had the decency and kindness of reaching out before being forced to.  He left me wondering if he was dead or alive. In the meantime he was checking the dating site.

NEXT!

“If we will be quiet and ready enough, we shall find compensation in every disappointment.” ― Henry David Thoreau

In other news, life is busy and I still manage to go on a couple of dates that I will be writing about next. Stay tuned, this rollercoaster never stops for long.

 

Displaced sadness

18 Sunday Apr 2021

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“One person’s craziness is another person’s reality.” ― Tim Burton

On Thursday, when I called my mom, I could tell something was wrong by how she said hello.  I joked that she was not smiling when she answered the phone.  She started crying and told me she had been crying the whole day.

She proceeded to give me the terrible news. This is how she phrased it: “My faithful companion of over 30 years is broken”.

What?

She went on: “My washing machine broke down again and now they will probably not be able to fix it.  The technician is coming tomorrow but they already told me that is hard to find parts for this machine”.

I tried to talk some sense into her.  I told her that crying over material stuff was just senseless.  As I have said so many times, I told her to go buy a new, a better one.  It made her mad.  She wasn’t having any of it. 

“I have been crying,” she replied, simply, “and it has done me good. It helps a woman you know, just as swearing helps a man.” ― Horace Annesley Vachell, The Romance of Judge Ketchum

She continued: “The machines nowadays are worthless.  They don’t wash as good as this one.  She has been helping me for a long time.  There is no way I am letting anyone take her out of here.  If it is completely dead, I will find a place to keep it.”

She went on and on.

For everyone that thinks I am a Drama Queen, well, now you know who I take after.  But all kidding aside, I think this is displaced grief, displaced sadness.  The broken machine was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

I believe she was crying for everything. For not being able to travel to NY.  For not being able to see my sister and I.  For losing so many acquaintances.  For not receiving the visits of her friends. For having issues with her hip that keeps her from being, her usual, active self.  And of course, for all this Covid-19 uncertainty.

It was probably good for her to cry and let all the frustration, fear and uncertainty out.  Who am I to tell her what to be sad about? Who am I to diminish her tears and pain?

The following day, Friday,  when I called, there was smile again on her hello.  She sheepishly said: “The tech came and fixed her.  He happened to bring the correct part with him”. 

She lives to see another day.

“It is a grave injustice to a child or adult to insist that they stop crying. One can comfort a person who is crying which enables him to relax and makes further crying unnecessary; but to humiliate a crying child is to increase his pain, and augment his rigidity. We stop other people from crying because we cannot stand the sounds and movements of their bodies. It threatens our own rigidity. It induces similar feelings in ourselves which we dare not express and it evokes a resonance in our own bodies which we resist.” ― Alexander Lowen, The Voices of the Body

Cute or Cruel?

09 Friday Apr 2021

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“Sometimes I go to God and say, “God, if Thou dost never answer another prayer while I live on this earth, I will still worship Thee as long as I live and in the ages to come for what Thou hast done already. God’s already put me so far in debt that if I were to live one million millenniums I couldn’t pay Him for what He’s done for me.” ― A.W. Tozer

P. remains in the hospital.  I didn’t get in touch with his sister again.  I reached out to his friend Pat.  Pat gives me the updates that he gets from P.’s sister.   She is very frustrated by the treatment he is getting in the hospital he is in now.  She happens to be a top nurse in the hospital where he was treated for Covid a couple of months back.

Now he is in another hospital where his sister has no say.  They tested him again for Covid.  It came back positive as it was likely it would. Because of the positive result they put him in the Covid ward and no visitors are allowed.    

I continue to send daily texts to his phone with positive messages in the off chance that he sees them.  I can’t imagine being in a hospital, disconnected from loved ones and depending on strangers. Sending prayers and good wishes every time he comes to mind.

“Within her presence, I had once been used
to feeling—trembling—wonder, dissolution;
but that was long ago. Still, though my soul,
now she was veiled, could not see her directly,
by way of hidden force that she could move,
I felt the mighty power of old love.”
― Dante Alighieri

Moving on to a man from the past. I wrote about this person before, here: https://blessedwithastarontheforehead.com/2015/08/26/a-baby-made-me-cry/ and here: https://blessedwithastarontheforehead.com/2019/05/09/eliminating-the-distractions/  and in some other posts.  I referred to him as J. or JW.  I had blocked him before but we somehow started communicating again.

He calls and texts every several months.  I normally return the call if it is regarding business.  I last spoke to him a couple of months ago and put him in touch with a colleague regarding a business idea. 

The calls are mostly friendly and always ends up with the idea of one day meeting for drinks.  I know it will not happen, but it has been always the way we end phone calls.

Out of the blue, a couple of days ago, I got the text below:

I didn’t reply, and will not reply.   I feel bad because I don’t like to ignore people.  But in this case I feel I am being the voice of reason for both of us.  I am not adding fuel to this potential fire.  I am not adding my poetic self to his fairy tale view of this almost romance.

What is the point of looking back?  I am single.  He is married.  End of story. I am not going there.  I am sure that he is probably at a point in his marriage that he is bored.  I am variety, I am spice, I am what if.

I have to be honest and say that the attention massaged my ego for a second. Someone is thinking of me, it warmed my heart.  Originally I thought it was sweet, but almost immediately felt annoyed.

“Did perpetual happiness in the Garden of Eden maybe get so boring that eating the apple was justified?” ― Chuck Palahniuk, Survivor

 I know it may seem like it is just a text.  It is not! It is so much more.  It is the fairy-tale.  In between those lines I read so much more. It is what I dream of and search high and low for. 

My heart took a leap.  Yes, my heart is a dummy dreamer that doesn’t know the difference between lust and love.

Why play with somebody’s heart and emotions like that?  I thought it was a tad thoughtless.  I think he has this fairy-tale idea of the romance we almost lived.  I am not even sure if we would be a good match if we were ever single at the same time. But the question mark remains and it is forever enticing.

It would make a good story, star-crossed lovers that met in a train…

My sister tells me daily that I should write a book…perhaps I should, just to memorialize the eternal search for love… in all the wrong places.

Wishing you all the most amazing weekend!  May it be blessed with surprises! ♥♥

“A silly idea is current that good people do not know what temptation means. This is an obvious lie. Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is… A man who gives in to temptation after five minutes simply does not know what it would have been like an hour later. That is why bad people, in one sense, know very little about badness. They have lived a sheltered life by always giving in.” -― C.S. Lewis

 

Rolling the Dice

07 Wednesday Apr 2021

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“Is this thing safe?”
“Safe as life,” Gansey replied.”
― Maggie Stiefvater, The Raven Boys

Yesterday I got the Johnson and Johnson vaccine. So far, zero side effects.

I didn’t want to take it, but at this point I feel I have to.  I want to resume life.  Not that I am not resuming life already.  

But I felt I needed to take the vaccine to be able to travel.  I need to go to Brazil and see my parents.   Brazil is a complete mess.  I am so sad and scared for everyone there.

I have been bombarded with opinions from all sides.  Some said take it, some say don’t.  Once I decided to take it, then, the question was which of the 3 available vaccines to take.  Which is more effective, which has the least side effects, etc

One can go insane if he/she starts listening to people’s opinion.  I read some publications that were sent to me, I pondered for weeks.  In the end I am followed my heart and gut on what I thought I needed to do.

I told a close friend that was trying to talk me out of it: “I am rolling the dice”.  He said: “I honor that”.

So, whatever you choose to do or not do, I honor that! 

“If we stay where we are, where we’re stuck, where we’re comfortable and safe, we die there. We become like mushrooms, living in the dark, with poop up to our chins. If you want to know only what you already know, you’re dying. You’re saying: Leave me alone; I don’t mind this little rathole. It’s warm and dry. Really, it’s fine.

When nothing new can get in, that’s death. When oxygen can’t find a way in, you die. But new is scary, and new can be disappointing, and confusing – we had this all figured out, and now we don’t.

New is life.”
― Anne Lamott, Help Thanks Wow

 

Feeling blessed: Pat found me, P. is getting better and A. celebrated me

07 Wednesday Apr 2021

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“Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love.” -― Lao-Tzu

P.’s sister hasn’t contacted me again, as she said she would.  In the meantime, his best friend Pat, contacted me on OKCupid a few days ago.  He wanted to let me know that P. had not ghosted me.

I was very surprised.  It was nice of him to do that.  I gave him my phone number and asked him to let me know if he receives any updates. 

Since I hadn’t heard from the sister, I texted Pat yesterday morning.  He got back to me at the end of the day and he let me know that P. is off of the respirator and out of the ICU. 

I am relieved and happy that he is getting better.  I know I will be speaking to him at some point, but I know he now needs to focus on getting better.  

In the meantime I do sent him texts and messages just sending prayers.

***

Last Friday I was treated to a late birthday dinner by my friend A.  He said he would pick the restaurant.  I was surprised since I am the one that often chooses where we go when we get together.

He picked Lusardi’s, a Mediterranean restaurant in Larchmont, NY.  He said he remembered I mentioned I never went there before.  I was touched that he remembered something I had mentioned in passing a long time ago.

He had red wine and I had a delicious hibiscus martini. We shared a couple of tuna appetizers and salad.  He had a gluten free pasta with vegetables and I had grilled char with cherry tomatoes and artichokes.  We shared a chocolate fudge cake. 

We had an awesome time.  It was a cold evening and we sat next to the fireplace.  We talk about all things spiritual, love, finances, health, anything and everything.  We always have the most amazing time together. 

“The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, not the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship; it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when you discover that someone else believes in you and is willing to trust you with a friendship.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson

My date has been found

02 Friday Apr 2021

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“The most poetical thing in the world is not being sick.” ― G.K. Chesterton

Updating from my last post.

By this afternoon I still hadn’t heard from P. I decided to call the hospital again. I spoke to the nurse in ICU. I explained to her who I was – someone that had 2 dates with him; and also that I had no idea even if he was the right person.

She offered to take my name and number and give it to the family.  I imagined all kinds of scenarios. She tossing the number away. Giving to the family and they choosing to ignore it. Or perhaps receiving a call from some woman saying: stop calling my husband.  My imagination went into overdrive.

The nurse gave my number to his sister when she called in.  The sister called me this evening. I am embarrassed to say that I got so overwhelmed and anxious with the phone call that I really didn’t ask anything. I assumed a lot things. I need to work on that.

“Assumptions are the enemy of coherence,” Sharine said.
In other words, You’re an idiot.” ― Nalini Singh

I understood that he didn’t feel well on Monday, and ended up going to the hospital on Tuesday. As of today he was in the ICU was on the respirator.

I didn’t ask why he was on the hospital. I assumed it had to do with having had Covid-19 in the past.  He mentioned having to be in the hospital for 5 days because of breathing issues.

She said that she knew we had plans on Saturday night, and that I was probably trying to get in touch with him. She has his phone but not password to get in.

She said she will be visiting him tomorrow and will text me with an update. I will try speaking to her and actually getting more information. I will try letting her get the words out before I cut her off with my assumptions.

At least now we know what happened… well, kind of.  It is too much like a romantic comedy; if it was not so tragic.

Prayers for his recovery are welcomed and appreciated! ♥♥

“Every sickness has an alien quality, a feeling of invasion and loss of control that is evident in the language we use about it.” ― Siri Hustvedt