tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13083972.post8614802187101378393..comments2009-08-28T23:05:11.950-05:00Julie Pipperthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03169574697104642479noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13083972.post-2875682713518371812009-08-28T23:05:11.950-05:002009-08-28T23:05:11.950-05:00loved this!Nicole B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/08227392455044611078noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13083972.post-73577935167757156202009-08-28T13:40:45.353-05:002009-08-28T13:40:45.353-05:00I agree! As an avid taker, I am all for merging and even car pooling! I like the idea that you knew a lot about that man&#39;s &quot;verbs&quot; if not about his &quot;nouns&quot;. That&#39;s a great way to discribe those brief connections, which are true and real connections. Something lacking in life sometimes, especially I find as I grow older and more detatched from those small opportunities where I could really connect.Momishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14628200778996614699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13083972.post-25739464276263144452009-08-28T11:48:08.868-05:002009-08-28T11:48:08.868-05:00I find his last comment illuminating, though not that surprising on reflection. In college, we had those talks all the time, for two reasons I think. First, we were still trying to figure out what our lanes were, which meant we had to do an awful lot of exploring around, painting, repainting, tinkering with the lane lines and parameters. Hence, real conversations. Also, in college, there was the potential &quot;what if he/she is THE ONE?&quot; to contend with -- and all that <i>really</i> trying to get to know each other makes for wonderful, authentic conversation. As &quot;adults,&quot; once we&#39;ve found our lanes, and our partners in them, we have less need for the exploration. And I think there is a stretch of time where there is the fear of being misunderstood, the &quot;if I talk to a member of the opposite sex &#39;in THAT way,&#39; will he/she misunderstand and think I&#39;m flirting?&quot; But we get to a point, and I think I&#39;m just reaching it too, where we are secure enough in the roles we have carved out for ourselves that exploration can be interesting without being threatening. I think it&#39;s still too easy NOT to do what you just did. But I also know that the best friends I&#39;ve made in the last few years have been because I have not stopped at the acceptable lines, but have been insistent about jumping into their lives (or they into mine). I have never regretted doing so, which I think means I should do so more often. Thanks for that reminder.MommyTimehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860003098383600806noreply@blogger.com