FREEDOM AND RESPECT

Someone said that if you love something
greatly set it free. If it comes back to you,
it?s yours for life. If it doesn't come back, it
never was yours in the first place.

When it comes to romantic relationships,
some individuals become so highly motivated
to find someone to love that they begin to
violate well-known principles of freedom
and respect in human interactions. That's
like turning a fire hose on a flickering
flame.

I heard about one young man who was
determined to win the affection of a girl who
refused to even see him. He decided that
the way to her heart was through the mail,
so he began writing her a love letter every
day.

When she didn't respond, he increased
his output to three notes every 24 hours.
In all, he wrote her more than 700 letters
and as a result, she married the postman.

That's the way the system works. Appearing
too anxious and too available actually drives
other people away rather than attracting
them into a committed relationship.

Romantic love is one of those rare human
endeavours that succeed best when it
requires the least effort. And remember that
respect precedes love, and that relationships
are constantly being tested by cautious
lovers who like to nibble at the bait before
swallowing the hook.

By Dr James Dobson