I prefer to have a fun date. Although getting to know & like someone doesn't mean they'll want to stick around, I'd rather have a fun unforgettable hour with them.

I'm learning to cook.

In my part of the world, we VERY RARELY say the actual words but have our special ways of saying them including: "Have you eaten?" "Are you OK?" "I've missed you" "Take care" and so on.
The words 'I love you', although used easily by new lovers, very few couples and even fewer parents to their little children, aren't so easy to say to parents, partners (marriage) and older children. I think a lot of grew up without hearing those words expressed to us so we just took it up and would rather show love with our actions than say it. We are aware that we love each other because we show it as much as possible but saying it...nahhh. I said it a lot to my ex tho.
I, however say it to my best friend, on the phone or in a text, once in a while.

Congratulations

Yes it does but it's more difficult to find elsewhere these days.

Well said SweetPhi

I've got both but rarely use them.

Yes a child binds u but u r different people & need to live ur lives.
I'll assume u have spoken to him severally yet he hasn't accepted breaking up with u hence ur desire to reach out to total strangers but u need to help him understand why u can't be with him.
He needs answers to obvious questions: Did he have those habits when the relationship started, before the child? Why did u fall out of love etc.
Give him time, he'll come around.

Peace, love and financial independence

Same here. I'm not the same in every situation as I'm more of a 'reactive person'

I was 18, working as a sales person when one of the supply guys started hitting on me; I figured he was about 30, was scared cos I hadn't been on any dates before.
He asks me to meet up for ice cream & I did but was so nervous and couldn't eat much of mine.
Dude literally took the cup and scraped it clean. He said he didn't want his money to go to waste.
I wished the ground would just open and swallow me up.

Whether or not the person I'm talking with is a friend I keep my mouth shut when I observe tensions building up particularly because I dislike public attention.
However, I've had to give up on different kinds of relationships simply because we didn't understand what it meant to have differences of opinions on issues.
I have also had to make compromises I was never happy about for some friends because I didn't want to lose them and I'm sure some have done same for me but overall it has always been civil.
On a number of occasions where total strangers have tried to discredit my arguments I have learnt to say 'OK' which means 'suit yourself' just to get the person off your back.

I ask myself the same question each time my moral compass starts moving
then I remember that it's just to be the best I can be.

I agree with u but personally I don't approve religious values or the lack of being the yardstick for our moral standards as humans but that's just me & as Tom stated earlier, some just don't know how to be better because we are all different and/or were raised differently.

Really deep words. May I have your permission to repost them for my friends on another platform, with credit to you of course?
We have a common saying in this part of the world: change is the only constant thing in life & change for the better is always appealing.
I always ask myself whose standards am I trying to live up to. Other people may see the need for me to improve on myself but I just might be comfy with who I am.
In my opinion, who we are is a product of our experiences. We have a choice to use these experiences negatively or positively.
It is defeatist to say ' that's just who I am' particularly when who you are is a poor reflection of what an ideal society should be.
Some folks just don't want to put in any effort at being better or nicer humans.

How are you...