ANY PORT IN A STORM

"In times of danger, any shelter is better than none. In an emergency, we have to accept whatever solution presents itself (for the time being)."


Ok this makes sense when you're on a ship. But when you are out there dating, it is not a good idiom to follow. There are two kinds of storm-porting I would like to address. 


The first being the most common: Using someone to fulfill a sexual need. We all know that people use other people for sex, no need to rehash that subject. 


The second type is emotional. Using someone to fill an emotional emptiness. People need people. And when you are going through a life storm, or a funk, or a job change, or boredom, etc., you want someone to be there for you. When you are sailing through life solo, you have no one to go home to. No one to call after work. No one to cushion the blows. No one to help you see the lighter side of a situation. No one to share a life with, no one to make you feel wanted and/or needed. Trust me, it sucks when you laugh at something funny on tv and realize that you're talking to yourself. Loneliness alone can force people to head for a port, any port! 


I've been the port. And I've been the ship. Neither produced a husband. 


When you're feeling lonely, it is so easy to just give in and hang out with/date/have some fun with/screw that person who makes himself available to you. And when you're desperate to find love it's just as easy to hang out with/date/have some fun with/screw that person who habitually makes himself unavailable. But it's wrong. If he is not the one, you know it. Deep down you know it.


And if you're the ship, most likely you're stringing along that "nice" guy because you didn't want to show up to your work party alone again this year. He's that guy with the good job, great family, who treats you like a queen, but when people ask you, "Ooooooh so how's it going with Mr. Good On Paper," you shrug your shoulders and say, "It's good," bothered that this Noserella interrupted your daily horoscope reading. And you're probably planning on dumping him right after the work thingy. But then there's the holidays and who the fuck wants to go that alone!? So maybe after the New Year. Who knows, right? We'll just see what happens. Bad girl! This "port" has feelings. You're going to hurt him...badly. He's picking out your diamond and thinks the 311 remake of "Love Song" would be perfect for your first dance. It's not right. End it. Let him go find a girl who also thinks that song is perfect and burns him a cd of it for Sweetest Day. You can call your mom after work.


If you're the port, you're probably waiting by the phone for him to call you as we speak. While checking your email and creeping his facebook page. He probably keeps you guessing, and you make excuses for it, telling people you like the chase. We're on to you, sister! You hate that he breaks plans and leaves you to attend functions alone and has you buying a killer outfit you can't afford for the next "date" he may or may not take you on. He's the ship. And you know he's got a storm brewing in his life right now. Whatever it is...family, money, health, boredom...you know he's on choppy water. But you think if you let him dock there with you, he'll eventually want to winterize that shit and stay forever. Not a chance. The second that storm clears, he's out and you know it. So do the right thing. Send him off and wish him luck. Keep the dock open for that perfect ship.


So ladies...are you a port? Are you a ship? Have you been either in the past? Or are you the storm!? Give it to me!