Nobody would argue that relationships are (or should be) about give and take. If one finds himself constantly giving but never receiving -- be it love, affection, emotional support -- it won't be long before he realizes things are badly lopsided, potentially prompting him to walk unless the other person begins to appreciate him more. That being said, many people argue that relationships should be 50/50, with each partner investing an equal amount of time and energy. But should it always be this way? While I think partners should certainly strive to contribute proportionally, it can't be this way ALL the time. If someone has had a bad day at work or isn't feeling well, it makes sense for one partner to be noticeably more giving for the time being. Then, when the other person suffers a similar fate, they, too, should receive the same treatment. Then there are those cases where both individuals suffer together (e.g., grieving the loss of a mutual friend) and act ...

Don't worry about what may go wrong . Instead, get excited over what could go right ! This is sound advice even for me. I tend be a little paranoid and cynical at times, but I've resolved to be more optimistic this year. There comes a point where we need to accept one thing: There are things in life that we have no control over. Things will not always go our way, no matter how hard we try to shape the outcome. Life is like a rollercoaster -- it has its ups and downs, but we might as well make the most of the ride! There's a difference between being cautious and being so worried about what may go wrong that you refuse to take any chances in life. Life is short. If we don't take risks every once in a while, we'll never know what it's like to grow and achieve a milestone. The most rewarding things we experience in life -- the ones we look back on most fondly -- tend to be those that involve a lot of hard work and frustration. Ultimately, nothing taste...

About a month ago, my wife had to have gallbladder surgery. Thankfully, it was caught early and she has since recovered nicely. I remember saying something at the hospital along the lines of ..."well, I've never had to be hospitalized for anything myself." It looks like I forgot to knock on that wood. Just three weeks later, I found myself getting checked out in the hospital for what turned out to be a gas/constipation issue that nagged me for over a week. I've always had a strong stomach, seldom complaining of any digestive problems over the years. I can only assume that eating meat for five consecutive days, coupled with stress I'd been under lately, were the likely culprits. Isn't it bizarre how we can jinx ourselves in this way? We say that something hasn't happened for a long time -- say, we haven't gotten a cold, been summoned for jury duty, or broken an ankle -- and bam, it happens. It's as if someone out in the ether hears us ...

A study conducted in the late 1990s revealed that a whopping 75% of respondents believed in soulmates. Of those, nearly the same proportion (3/4) were women. So, the big question is: Is there only one person in the whole world that can complete us? As much as I would love to buy into this notion, I just don't believe it to be true. People loosely throw around the word "soulmate" as a means of validating their choice of partner. We can have only so many partners in our lives-- that's why sooner or later we convince ourselves that our partner is "the one" after all. But to say that only one person in the whole world can be totally compatible with you on a mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual level just doesn't hold water in my book. I respect those who believe in fate, but I believe that what happens to us in life is a combination of fate and free will. You may be destined to meet, date, and marry John Doe, but if you're a social hermit...