In today’s world, dating is a whole lot different than back twenty years ago (to me anyway). With age, comes wisdom. You learn what you want and don’t want, and what you will put up with and won’t put up with. You don’t want to settle, but you don’t want to be alone either. There’s a huge amount of give and take. I think we make things (namely relationships) more difficult than they need to be. We think way too much and don’t let things just flow as they may. I am so guilty of all of that. Once you have been abused, lied to, cheated on, etc., it’s easy to think the next person is going to do it also. It’s hard to break that habit.A guy recently told me that sometimes you just have to take a chance. Yeah, that’s easier said than done, isn’t it? All it boils down to, if you want to be happy and find someone that you honestly mesh with and can get along with, you are going to have to put away the thoughts of being scared and just go for it. Yep, you’ll have to take the chance of getting hurt. If everyone would just be honest from the get go, dating would be so much simpler.I am by no means perfect, but, I do not see a point in lying to get ahead and or to get someone’s attention or to like me. I am me. That’s all I’ll ever be. We just have to learn how to have patience with each others insecurities and imperfections and be there for those that need our love and our time.I’m a single mom who has insecurities about men because of things I have personally been through. That will never go away. Learning to trust comes with time, and the actions on part of that man will make that process go a whole lot more smoothly if he bases those on good intentions from the start.I am not looking for perfect. I am looking for someone that is going to be honest, loving, outgoing, a leader, funny, silly, serious, grateful, a caretaker, loyal, etc. etc. And yes, there will have to be an attraction there, just like it would have to be for anyone. There has to be that spark, no doubt about that. Me personally, I’m attracted to taller men (of my race).Let’s stop trying to make things so difficult and be honest from the get go. Don’t say things you don’t mean, that only leads to disappointment. Love the life you have and if you are ready to share it with someone, just do it! Life is too short to not be happy! It’s a new year for all of us and we ought to feel privileged that we are still here able to live it. Do what makes your heart happy!