Actually,
that’s just a title. The real idea here is more along the lines
of what would you do for something.
Now,
let’s get this out of the way. I am not suggesting, thinking of,
or asking about a Klondike bar. Same thoughts for anything else
in that general area. This isn’t about how far you’d walk for
your favorite sandwich. Not a question of how long you’d wait
in line for the latest book or game release.
I’m
talking about bigger things. (Hence the involvement of wishes.)
For
instance, what would you do for someone you loved? (Or, cared
about. Or, wanted to care about and were trying to connect with.)
Would
you help them move? Would you not only help them move, but offer
them a room at your house? Would you loan them money? Would you
let them drive your car?
Let’s
say you live alone, and love living alone. And not only that,
you love having a bit of organization and control over the events
of your life. It’s a comfort and security thing for you. Would
you give that up? Would you sacrifice privacy and some of your
choices?
I’ve
shared a Jennifer story before, but let’s hit it again.
Years
ago, I met someone that seemed very nice. I liked her, and there
seemed to be a mutual attraction. So, I asked her out and she
said yes. We ended up going out a couple of times. There was no
real spark. No connection. But at one point, she offered to make
me dinner.
Turns
out that for some reason, she felt bad about the way she had acted
on one of those dates and wanted to do something nice. So, she
did. She made a wonderful shrimp dinner.
And…
well… I don’t like shrimp.
She
didn’t know that. She never even asked. Shrimp parmigiana was
one of her favorite dishes to cook, it was always delicious, and
she felt it would be a real treat. So, that’s what she made.
And…
well… I don’t like shrimp.
But
on that evening… a girl had put in the effort to do something
nice for me… a girl that I really wanted to see if a deeper relationship
might work… I ate that shrimp and had a smile on my face that
said I loved it.
What
would I do for a date? Turns out, eat shrimp and say it was wonderful.
(By the way, it was delicious, but I didn’t like it because of
the shrimp. Sauce was good and seasonings fantastic. Everything
in really great proportions and presented nicely. It was a good
dish. I just don’t like shrimp.)
Over
the years, many friends have told me that I’m a sucker for love.
Not because of what I do, but usually when I do it. I try to do
too much, too quickly, and wind up nervous and shy and awkward
and “let’s do whatever you want to do” for any and every decision.
It’s what I do.
Calling
me a sucker is their way of telling me that the dating world is
scary, that making someone else happy is wonderful but I need
to recognize right out of the gate I have value and deserve some
of the things from a relationship that I enjoy.
(We’re
getting a bit off track here. Intent of the essay was not dating
advice or a personal therapy session. Let’s get centered back
in our lane.)
In
our lives, we all have moments where we question whether or not
something is worth the effort. Will we make the sacrifice? Depending
on different elements of the situation, we’re far more likely
to bend a little more, give a little more, do a lot more in some
instances than we are in others. The trick is understanding how
the balance works, how the give and take works, and where we draw
the lines.
In
my case, I don’t know that I’ll eat the shrimp again (so to speak).
However, I’m saying that without a serving dish being placed on
the table in front of me. It’s always easier to say what you’d
do when you aren’t really faced with doing it, so be careful what
you wish for.