Two Species: Bitter or Simply Stupid

I don't understand why when we were growing up our moms always said, "Don't talk to strangers."  My conversations with strangers are like a breath of fresh air; usually insightful and surprisingly I can make their stories relate to my life like a horoscope.  I wake up late today with plenty on my mind and after a hot shower I find myself sitting at the bar at Villagio with a glass of wine next to an older and interesting guy, Ray.

After some small talk, he starts venting to me about his lady problems...awkward.  I listen as my wine glass begins to empty at a faster pace, but I had a feeling this conversation would have a point.  Sure as daylight- it did.

All day I have these thoughts going through my mind.  Relationships are lose-lose situations and those of you who are in love right now may beg to differ with me, but call me in a couple years and let me know where you're at.  I can't help but think to myself, what is the point of it all?  All good things must come to an end, unfortunately.  Why set yourself up for heartbreak?  But in the other perspective, why keep a wall and never set yourself up for love?

Anyways, back to Ray.  While I'm semi-listening, semi-ignoring, and drinking my wine he says one sentence that woke me up.  "And then I broke the most important rule."   I set my glass down and say, "Enlighten me.  What rule did you break?"  As he shakes his head he looks up and tells me, "I fell in love with her."

Falling in love may give you a rush when it happens, but so does shooting heroin.  Some things just aren't for everybody. 

I guess I'm more of a realist than a romantic.  Some women look forward to getting chocolates and flowers on Valentine's Day, and others would rather watch Jerry McGuire alone in bed while eating a pint of Ben and Jerry's ice cream.  Love is over rated.  Maybe bitter women are the way they are because they just don't have what those hopeless romantics do, a bitch.  Or maybe the hopeless romantics dream in the clouds because they don't have what the bitter women do, guts.

By all means don't fight a good thing; but is the time you spend with that somebody worth taking the risk of having it all end one day?  Only to leave you with that unbearable pain that yes, may slowly disappear as time goes on, but the smallest bit remains to linger on inside of you forever.  Should we just spare ourselves?  Or is it even worse to put up your wall and never take the risk, saving yourself from the heartbreak?  All in all, at this point in time I'd say love is for suckers.