Celebrating Singleness: My Relationship Status

It had to happen sooner or later…

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In less than five days I will put off my singleness for the foreseeable future and join the ranks of the “married.” I will finally be checking the box “Married” on all those stupid legal documents and survey profiles.  I will henceforth be never more known as “Single, Never Married”.

While this new marital state will certainly bring me just as much fodder for blog material (Celebrating Marriedness anyone?), I feel like I should at least give a little effort to polish off the blog series “Celebrating Singleness” with a few parting thoughts from my time I spent as a single man and single Mormon.

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Celebrating Singleness: A Witness to My Life

Several months ago, one of the speakers in church was reflecting on the many reasons why he’s been married to his wife.  What he said hit me, not because I hadn’t heard it before, but because I understood it differently this time.  He said they were “witnesses to each others’ lives.”

Later that night, I the opportunity to catch up with some old college friends who were here in Dallas.  The reminiscing on old times and catching up threw me into a weird time warp.  Talking with them reminded me of so many things and brought back so many memories from past lives.

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Celebrating Singleness: Putting the Pieces Together

One of my favorite activities at our perennial family get togethers is to do a puzzle.  Over the years we’ve done a lot of different puzzles in different styles.  We’ve done oddly shaped puzzles, we’ve done massive puzzles, and we’ve done intricate puzzles.

The truth is, though, I am really bad at puzzles.  I usually will sit down for 5-10 minutes, try to put in a few pieces, then get bored or frustrated and move on to another activity.  If you want to know who the true puzzle queen is in our family, it’s my mom.  (Tio and Aunt Sherrie do a good job too, but Mom is the ultimate puzzle focuser.)

I’ve found the trick to participating in the puzzle, though.  I join early and strategically claim the part of the puzzle with the most detail, which will be easiest to put toegether.  Things like rooflines, people, even lattice work or anything geometrical will do.  What you don’t want to do is come to the puzzle late when there is only one or two things left… the sky or the water.

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Celebrating Singleness: “Getting” Married and “Having” Kids

Lately I have been thinking about what my life will be like after I “get” married and “have” kids. How will I change?  How will my life be different?  What will be similar to now?  Will I ever get used to having all those strangers around me all the time?

I have noticed, during my short and very single life, that many people want to “get” married and “have” kids.  From the time I was born I have been told to “get” married and “have” kids.  I don’t think it is an accident of the English language that we use the phrases “get married” and “have kids” either.  Think about those words… GET and HAVE…

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Celebrating Singleness: Drawing Your Social Circle

This is part six of the series Celebrating Singleness…

I’ve never fit neatly into predefined social circles.

Never been athletic enough to fit in with the sporty people, never liked the right music for the clubbers and party-ers, never wore the right sunglasses for the cool people, or cared enough about my looks for the fashionable. Never bling-blinged enough for the rich, and never ate at the right places for the foodies.

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Celebrating Singleness: Two Contrasting Articles

_41074552_xbox_gamers_bbc203.jpgThis is article 3 in the series, “Celebrating Singleness”:

I was recently sent two articles: “Marry Him! (The case for settling for Mr. Good Enough)” and “Child Man in the Promised Land“. Both are extremely long treatises (which actually kind of stall about 1/3 of the way through, so don’t feel bad when you stop reading at that point), so if you’re not up for that much reading on a Monday (I understand), here is the summary:

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