Let's talk about D baby

I wanted to commemorate my divorce with dignity and mutual respect.  To bookend this momentous event and to garner genuine appreciation of our time spent together in the cult of christianity, James and I, embarked on a secret covenant called 

“The Divorce Competition”.  

Actually, this covenant is implicitly signed by every divorce(e). 
The winner/gagnant(!) of this post-divorce contest, will need to score points in these scientific categories: 

Who will look more attractive physically? (me obviously, ok debatable)
Who does Max like better? (Max is a whore who loves every damn human being, so no contest)
Who will enter into a relationship sooner?  (James)
Will Justin Bieber die before 30? (TBD)
And so on. 

James has won in the “relationship” category, whereas I decided to linger in the experiment.  I tried the so-called “quantum dating” the young’uns pioneered in this post-post-post-modern era. I’ve explored the seedy underbelly of affairs, as well as used dating as practice for job interviews. It just depends on what you’re looking for.  Unfortunately as a woman, when dating, I need to always consider the “rape-y” factor of any situation. But I digress…

***

Dating after my divorce reminded me that we all desperately seek to be happy, even if for a brief moment of ecstasy. In our search for this elusive by-product called “happiness”, we have accepted to be less kind, less human. It’s a common practice to cause pain first, then ask questions later.  How unfortunate. 

“… although it is easy to give paint to others, it is hard to accept without returning it."                       Yoga Sutras of Patanjali

***

I am grateful dating has served as an activity of self-exploration. 
You are a different reiteration of me, and I am a different reiteration of you.  I understand that we are different persons with different people, within different environment with unending variables affecting our every decision and state.  To understand, that I do not understand is what I can say with certainty.

The world is a wonderful place with a lot of wonderful-to-be people.

It would be wise, however, to take heed of  Marcus Aurelius’ instructions in dating as well as in life:  “when you wake up in the morning, tell yourself: The people I deal with today will be meddling, ungrateful, arrogant, dishonest, jealous and surly.” 

When dating, proceed with caution, with compassion for yourself and others.