Each of us holds ideals: the ideal friend, the ideal job, the ideal love, the ideal person. We strive to be the ideal person, we long to meet the ideal friend, and we hope to achieve the ideal life. However, in placing our highest goals and loftiest dreams in these ideals, we release the possiblity of ever reaching them. While this impossibility is not necessarily bad, it must not hinder us from achieving nonetheless. We should maintain our ideals, but at the same time we must keep reality in clear sight.

The ideal is, by nature, unreachable. For that sole reason, we must accept what is less than ideal. I do not advocate lowering one's dreams to an attainable level, nor do I suggest surrendering. I do think that man must face his imperfection. The ideal is a noble goal, but we must live while we pursue it. Those who spend their entire lives pursuing nothing but the ideals will find only failure. We must, in trying to attain our ideals, embrace reality as well. For example, if we search for the absolutely perfect spouse, we search for someone who doesn't even exist. Embrace reality, accept the sub-ideal, but do not sacrifice the ideals in doing so. It is often said that beauty often hides in people's small flaws. If we ignore the flawed while searching for the ideal, we would miss this hidden beauty.

Do reach for the ideal, but acknowledge the real, and always live.

To my friend,

You're timeless. Exceptional. You're a hard act to follow; you know it and he knows it too. She won't ever be able to fill your shoes because you're one of a kind; being a beautiful person inside and out, a thoughtful friend and a loving girlfriend isn't easy but you make it look effortless. You're the perfect package and any guy would be tremendously lucky to be in your line of vision -- and if you don't agree, then you don't see what I see.

I'll always be here to stand beside you and walk with you, as long as you need me. But even when you feel you may not need me any longer, I'll be right behind you just incase.

Love,
Your friend

When I am interested in someone, it's not always because of a particular reason; oftentimes, a single butterfly/ a skip of a heartbeat/ a warm tingly sensation define my feelings for another.

Interest shouldn't always be governed by reason or logic; it's what you embrace when you stop thinking and start feeling.

As for me, I don't like to call people on the phone. If I call you out of the blue to talk to you, most likely, it means I am interested.

Isn't it funny what some people will put up with from an attractive person, yet won't put up with from an unattractive person?

I know a guy who will bend over backwards for his attractive girlfriend, no matter how bratty and b*tchy she gets, yet with his ex-girlfriend (who pretty much treated him like a King but was only fairly attractive to him), he didn't give a rat's bum about how he treated her.

I know a girl who took so much horsedung her good looking ex-boyfriend flung at her but can't stand the little things her current boyfriend (who is only somewhat attractive to her) does. And he treats her like a Princess, too. Poor chap.

Regardless of what some people say about how looks don't really matter, they really do in the end. I know girls who always talk about how they just want someone who treats them well but once they get that, they look for something better. Having an average looking guy who treats them well just won't do so they start looking for bigger and better-looking fishes who will treat them just as well.

Sometimes, a nice guy with average looks doesn't get enough credit (unless they're on their way to getting an MD, PHd, JD, MBA etc.). You have to admit many more girls will go for an average looking guy if he has one of these degrees over an average looking guy who is in charge of janitorial services at Burger King, who may treat her like she'd want to be treated.

Some girls say they want a nice guy who will treat them right but throw her an average Joe who works at Tacos Deliciosos (but will treat her like a Princess!) and I'm sure some of those gals will throw this guy back into the lake and wait for something bigger to bite. Like a Harvard MBA who has seven figures riding his bank account.

And we can't forget about the gals who take advantage of these do-gooders all the while whining about wanting to find a great guy.

So really, when you say you want a nice guy, you mean a nice guy who also has ambition and someone you can look at without wanting to gouge your eyes out. Right? You really should put that disclaimer in there, somewhere.

Well, at least guys (for the most part) are more honest about wanting someone who is attractive. I don't think this makes them shallow; I think this makes them realistic and honest about what they want in a significant other. Girls who find this to be a turn-off or think they are jerks for wanting this are probably insecure.

As for me, I've dated guys who may not be very attractive to most and were not guys I'd normally go for -- but they were wonderful individuals. And on the flipside, I've dated guys I thought were great looking only to find out they were players or assholes.

Now, I'm just holding out for someone who has a great balance of everything. I don't get googly eyed when I see an attractive man nor do I turn away from guys who are less attractive. I'd rather just ride the wave and see if everything else balances out right.

In addition:
Treating your friends or family members differently based on how they look is just foul. I met someone who treats her cute boy far better than her not-as-cute boy and that totally turned me off. It's your family, your blood. You don't favor one over another just based on looks.

And as far as friends are concerned, how does having an attractive friend really help you so much to the point where you'll discriminate against the not-so-attractive ones? Why, because having good looking friends will get you into the club faster? Big whoop. I think if you need to hold them to such standards, you need to take a good look at yourself in the mirror and ask if looks *really* matter all that much in a friendship.

Will looks pick you up when you're stranded out in the middle of nowhere? Will looks lend you his/her shoulder when you're feeling down? Will looks bail you out of jail without a second thought? No, but character will.

Sure you may think you look *cool* hanging out with a bunch of great looking people because you probably think you will be good looking and cool by association but grow up. That's so high school.