Dating is a unique ritual. It’s amazing on how so many people are good at it. It starts from lily pad to lily pad without the water rippling. The graceful dance from partner to partner until the proper mate is found. A casual smile and the polite “Hello” is the easy part of the ritual, but my graceful lily pad jump still needs work. I’m the fall into the water type. I only jump out just enough to fall in again. I look like a cat staring into the headlights of an on-coming car. I start by walking into walls, tripping over my feet, and manage to offend a majority of my dates. I try to be funny, but I neglect to remember that I’m not a comedian. Eventually I find someone who accepts that I’m a nut and partake in my non-alcoholic drunken ritual. A duck among many swans, and I never heard of oven roasted swan. A period of two to six months then I find myself back at the lily pad. I do my best to find more ducks but the swans are readily available. I have found a few ducks, but a swan usually catches their interest. Rude! Personally I think I’m a pretty good looking duck. Now when I eat bad sushi I do resemble a frog, BUT I’m the best looking frog EVER! I do get disheartened. Who hasn’t? I baffle myself with one question: Why haven’t I found my sushi eating frog? Out of the millions of single people I still haven’t met a single partner that share the same moral, ethics, or wants. I’ve been advised that I want it to much. Who this IT? Is this a spooky clown that lives in the sewers of Pueblo? IT hasn’t introduced himself to me. I’m just a tad bit irate. I just want to explain the “YES” IT maybe be scary, angry, and occasional annoying, but I would still want IT. Does anyone have IT’s phone #. Knowing that dating is dysfunctional it’s amazing how I’m still belling flopping. Then I’m told that dating is like a journey. If this is the case then I was suckered. My journey never takes me out of Pueblo. Can’t my journey take me to Australia or some private island? Where do I get my 1ST class tickets? I’m coming to realize that I better get plastic surgery on my legs. My long frog legs are keeping me on the ground. It’s almost time for my next date. I look at myself in the mirror and ponder: Why do I date? If my hopes are without life then why do I continue? I look at my pedicure feet and glance at styled hair. I look at my eyes and evaluate my eye shadow and eye liner. I glance at the lifetime supply of scope and the bought in bulk chewing gum. My lipstick and lip liner are on the counter and my lips are eagerly waiting the application. I pick up the $60.00 bottle of perfume and look back at my reflection. My eyes don’t gleam. I had a twinkle a few times in my life. Twice in my life I loved two men enough to sparkle. I’m dating because my eyes don’t sparkle. Maybe my eyes don’t shine but I know that it was there once. Maybe it wasn’t there for a long time, but I was happy until the end. I had a shine when I was with the wrong man. I only can imagine what I would look like when God partners me with a person that truly respects me.

Every flaw.

Every wall.

Every unintentional offense.

Isn’t that why we all are here? Just looking for our shine.

Unique and profound, in a fantastical way. Loved it.

Nice angle. Hmmm, how 'bout France? Nah, frog legs are a delicacy there or you'll end up with a snail or somethin.

I enjoyed this immensely

Oh and P.S. You had a beautiful shine all through this write.