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• Sunday, January 11, 2009 08:19 PM

  Thanks, anticleon

  I myself was in a stereotypical liberal academic environment - and found myself tired of having to listen to my peers drone on and on about their neuroses, insecurities etc. which would sabotage any meaningful romantic relationship they entered.

  Do they like the same books as me? How can I care for someone who places Radiohead above Yo La Tengo? Are they too centrist for me? Why are they only pesco-vegan and not full vegan? Are they too ambitious for me? Not ambitious enough? Can they make me happy? Or sad when I need the appropriate motivation? Yada Yada yada...

  Good grief!

  THEN: I moved for work to a smaller town in the Snow Belt. Not a rural area, but a city quite a bit smaller than, say, Chicago.

  AND guess what? To my utter surprise, I found that EVERYONE here - whether liberal, center or conservative - had a much simpler take on love! They were not encumbered by all the "Sex and the City" type insecurities. Commitment was not a four letter word - either to women or men.

  Young adults here realize you can lead fulfiling lives and be in a relatively uncomplicated romantic relationship..without ending up codependent or smothered. And instead of obsessing whether their boyfriend/girlfriend is right for them, they enter into relationships with someone they fancy, and both enjoy the highs and try to work through the lows.

  Love = simple. It's enough to make Ockham cry! =)

  —rhymeswithsilver Read rhymeswithsilver's other letters
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