Thursday, April 26, 2018

My First Relationship


We just had another fight, and now I’m sitting here thinking, reflecting as they say, on what I have done. We’ve been fighting a lot, and I’ve been reflecting a lot thinking about how we got here; how I got here. It’s true, much of this is my fault. Today’s fight began when I woke up this morning and she came into my room. Yes, we are sleeping in separate bedrooms now, which makes me so angry, frustrated, and sad. She came in to say good morning, and I threw something at her. Then when I got out of bed, she tried to kiss me, and I hit her, twice. I know it’s wrong to hit a woman, to hit anyone for that matter. So now, I sit and reflect.

It was love at first sight, as trite as that sounds. For the first few months, we were inseparable, as is typical in new relationships. We took soooo many selfies together. The one on Valentine’s Day got over a hundred likes on Instagram. We would sit for hours watching reality t.v., listening to music, or reading. A lot of times, we’d be up in the middle of the night, just her and me. To be honest, I wasn’t easy. I was emotional. I wasn’t good at communicating what I wanted or needed. But she always seemed to know how to make me smile. It was after those first few blissful months, fourteen weeks to be exact, that our problems initially began. I started seeing another woman. She didn’t seem to mind, and at that point, I was still in her bed.

Recently, though, something has changed. Like a few weeks ago, she went to Prague for “work.” It’s not like I don’t know other people or am totally alone. But, how could she leave me? Did she not want to stroll with me on the Charles Bridge? Man, I was a beast to be around that weekend. When she came home, at first I was so happy to see her, but then I remembered how she left me and maintained my distance. I could see it upset her, but how could I trust her now? Truth be told, the Prague trip isn’t why I am so full of rage. The catalyst for my anger was when she kicked me out of her room into the other bedroom a few months ago. I threw a fit, but she insisted that it was time. I was so angry.

God, I love this woman.

However, I can see the toll our relationship has taken on her. Since we first started seeing each other she had grown older, more tired. When we first met, she wore contacts. Now, she only wears loose fitting glasses, and her skin is branded with sun spots. Our relationship has also been costly. I can’t remember the last time she bought a new dress or did something for herself. Still, what right does she have to kick me out of her room for me to sleep all alone with nothing for comfort except linens?

So, this morning, I lost it and hit her. It wasn’t the first time. She grabbed me by the arm and put me in this so called “thinking chair,” or naughty chair, or “in time out” to reflect on what I had done. After two long minutes, one minute per year I’ve been alive, she sat down next to me. She told me that she would always love me, but that I shouldn’t hit mommy, and I shouldn’t hit anyone.

I want to say that I am sorry. I want to tell her that I love her. I want to tell her that yes, I am two and a half, and it is absolutely the right thing to do to have me sleep in my own bed in my own room. But I can only weep as she holds me, and when I finally find the words, all that comes out is - I want Mickey Mouse.

Tuesday, April 3, 2018

Jewish Man's Rebellion

I've been caught up reading the reactions to Carey Purcell's article (given the green light by editor Lisa Bonos) I'm tired of being a Jewish Man's Rebellion.  Ms. Purcell has been branded by the twitterverse as being at worst a Nazi and at best a terrible writer.

Whatever my thoughts on the article, I would not label Ms. Purcell as anti semitic. I think Ms. Bonos is more problematic for publishing the article, but that's for the Washington Post to sort out.  What I do think Ms. Purcell was trying to do was explain the unexplainable.

In life we have control over almost everything except our genetics and ultimately who wishes to settle down with us. If a break up was as clear as changing car insurance companies (lower price, more coverage), there would be no such title as "my psycho ex" or description of a person as bitter over a prior relationship. The word baggage would simply mean luggage.

I experienced a lot of breaks up during the 35 years prior to getting married, and although I could surmise why men no longer wanted to be with me, I never actually knew for certain. I remember being told:

1. My feelings aren't developing for you at the rate that I'd like.
2. I don't love you anymore.
3. I met someone else and am going with her.
4. I'm not the right guy for you.
5. You are too old and too Jewish for me.
5. And my favorite - (silence).  I guess that's called ghosting these days.

By blaming her two failed relationships on being Christian and on being a "Jewish Man's Rebellion,"  she is simply trying to make sense of loves' endings. Unfortunately for her, and for all people trying to find "the one," she is not entitled and probably will never know the exact reason why her relationships did not work out.

It is an incredibly difficult part of life; one that I found especially challenging to navigate.  It sounds like Ms. Purcell is having a hard time, too.

Jewish Man's Rebellion on Passover. Those bagels looks so good right now.