Cyrano is a joke!

Cyrano is a joke! For those of you who don't know who I am speaking of, Cyrano is this unattractive (Pinocchio looking), very poetic, love lyricist who was in love with this girl named Roxane but because he was insecure with his looks he let his good-looking buddy, Christian, have at her. The kick though was that Christian didn't know squat about talking to women or wooing them so he would have his buddy Cyrano hide in the bushes and feed him lines so that he could talk to Roxane.  He would also have Cyrano write love letters to Roxane, as if he were Christian. WHEW....So, now that you have the Cliff Notes (look it up)...

Here's this guy who is poetic and knows how to woo a women, Roxane to be exact. But can I just say, she is a dumb broad. Really? When Cyrano and his friend, Christian, are both standing under the infamous tree and she doesn't know the difference between their two voices, what a sap, or when Christian decides to profess his love to Roxane without his sidekick hiding in the bushes and all that comes out of his mouth is "I love you....bunches" (okay, well I paraphrased). I would have figured that mess out quick. At that point I would have had to make a decision---good looks or great words...hmmm.That crazy Roxane fell in love with Cyrano's words spoken through Christian. Unbeknownst to her, she really was in love with the unattractive Cyrano (which she didn't discover until it was too late....dumb broad).   I like a good love story just as much as the next person but why do they have to be so unrealistic.

An all time favorite of mine is the classic love story, Pretty Woman (or anything with Julia Roberts, that's my girl).  How often do you get to see a movie where a hooker lands a millionaire ("woot, woot")?  We watch all these love stories and search for our rich Cyrano's and are in awe when all we encounter in the real world are the humbly waged Tim The Tool Man kind of guys. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the Tim's in the world but our chic flix need to better reflect the men out there.

People, listen, love is not that dang sappy and unrealistic. Love is tricky, crazy, mind boggling, HARD WORK sometimes stupid and jacked up, but when you discover the right one for you all that stuff seems to make sense. I am so sick of people throwing in the towel and not putting in the work all because life seems easier single....well, it may be easier but I will have to say that love--the truly good stuff---was not designed to be easy. That kind of love is built on dedication, patience, kindness, respect, and sometimes a good stiff drink or come to Jesus moment, whatever your preference (I ain't mad atcha).

If you think I am kidding about the crazy but somehow it works kind of love let me share my love story. It was not one of a Roxane and Cyrano or The Hooker and The Millionaire (although... :) ). Nope, mine was all about the persistence of a good man with a compassionate heart and desire to please a young woman. Now that's a love story. My guy isn't, nor ever will be, a Cyrano or a debonair millionaire (God and I are still having a discussion on that one), on the contrary, he was just a guy who was in love with a girl who hoped that girl felt the same.

True story; on our first real date he took me out for dinner. It was a wonderful dinner, I was beginning to "know" he was the one. Great food, good conversation, a little hand touching...ahh smiles.  When dinner was over and the rain was pouring down, my guy had me wait at the door of the restaurant while he went to retrieve the car. As I stood in the doorway, waiting with some of the other restaurant customers who were waiting out the rain I see my guy pull up in his car. As we all stood there in the doorway watching the rain just pour out of the sky we catch a glimpse of  this man, my man, who did something no man has ever done before.  With the rain beating down he rolled down the passenger window and threw an umbrella out for me to retrieve! In case you missed that last line....he THREW an umbrella out the window for me to retrieve! Now, in his defense, he stated later that he thought it would make it to the door. Um, no. It made it halfway! It didn't even land under the awning. We all stood inside the door, some of the customers laughed, some were puzzled, yet no one knew who this man belonged to until out of my mouth came the words "oh no he didn't!"  Yes he did. YES he did.  I laugh now but back then, ooowee.  Needless to say, I stood there as he got out of the car, picked up the umbrella and escorted me out of the restaurant to the car. My guy. My love.

Why did I later marry this same man? I didn't fall in love with his words, with his ability to woo me, those things can be short lived. No, I fell in love with his soft hands, his attentiveness, his patience, his character, his integrity, his work ethic and his desire and love for me. That, my friend, is a good love story. Real, uncut, devoted. Til death do us part.  Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things--the bible baby (1Cor 13:4).  I forget these things from time to time, but that's where the hard work comes into play. Love is not a game, it is not a fairy tale, it IS a precious gift that needs nurturing, pruning/weeding, and fed....and sometimes, a good healthy dose of crazy to help keep em in line--just sayin.

Until next time,
Be good to yourself and a blessing to others.