A Bicycle Built for Two

Every so often, a single lad reaches a point where he has to wonder whether he's really the "relationship type." With all of the relationship-heavy scenery surrounding us, it gets to be the default answer to just tell yourself that your life plan absolutely demands one, without even considering what you want from such a thing, or whether you need one at all.

Is it possible that, despite the oft-overwhelming emphasis on couplets, we don't actually need long-term relationships to make our lives fulfilling?

My summer has come along with a lot of come-and-go dates. While some were more intriguing than others (like my dinner date at IKEA),they all ultimately met the same fateful demise. And as I began to consider the reasons why, I could suddenly feel a light bulb glimmer and spark atop my head.

It seems that as the "rules" of dating continue to develop, we as a people lose our comprehension of what it means to be in a relationship, and why they should be cherished in the first place. How can one find authentic meaning in a relationship built on superficial rules and hidden agendas? (Not to contradict any of my tips for dating, of course.)

Relationships should not be any more about joint mortgages or social status than Suze Orman should be about managing the perfectly feminine appearance.

The persisting issue today is not that we persist and obsess over relationships, it's that we do it for all of the wrong reasons. We want a partner so we aren't stuck at the counter while eating our apple pie in the diner; we want to show off just what our collective package can get us.

We don't want a relationship, we want another label.

If there is one thing I have confidently figured out in my time in the glorious City of Philadelphia, it's that finding a "great love" is not something that can be manufactured or manifested in a Facebook relationship status. A great love is something that develops over time and with great emotional investment, not over a planned-to-death dating layout that puts a wrong focus on coaxing someone into a relationship.

There is a reason standard bicycles come as a one-seater: life is meant to be traveled alone, unless you're lucky enough to stumble upon that special person you trust just enough to keep your bike peddling.