Serial Monogamist - Cured

Understand that I grew up in the same town my parents did, that they grew up around the corner from each other, that they dated starting at the age of 13, went steady (more or less, depending on whose version is being told) until they got married at the mature ages of 20 and 21. They are still together, happily empty-nesting and being young grandparents - thanks to my sister and her husband. (I can't tell you how nice it is not to have that pressure on my shoulders, thanks, Big Sis!)

With these two playing the parts of the most important role model of a loving relationship in my life, it leaves me looking for the same... or at least it used to. Since I know I'm not going to marry my high school sweetheart, my goal now is just to find the right guy... through whatever connection, method, medium it comes... and I plan to explore them all.

I think I started, like most people, to "go out" when I was in 6th grade. In fact, I know I did. I remember his name, Mark. In fact, he and I never technically broke up. He just moved away. Back then, when a kid moved one town over, you couldn't keep IMing him, or texting & calling his cell phone... back then, that meant he was far, far, away. Which is why I was so surprised when I ran into him at a local bar a couple years back. I actually told him we had never broken up back then... his response, "So, have you been cheating on me?". Yes, Mark. Yes, I have.

Mark moved, and I moved on, mostly crushed and a few "going out"s that mostly consisted of lots of long phone calls. (You hang up, no you hang up...) I didn't get "serious" until I met my high school boyfriend with whom I spent 3 years. That's a lifetime in high school, heck, that's a life time in Hollywood. He and I are still friends. We broke up because we went on to college and we both knew it would be too hard to keep it together from such a distance... I went off to school thinking I would actually date guys while I was in school, wouldn't that be a new and different experience?... except, I didn't. Instead, I met my college boyfriend, at orientation weekend. We were platonic, (which was my new favorite word that summer before starting school). That lasted until about mid-September. Then he became my other half, & I became his for the next five and a half years...

So, you see, serial monogamy took up a good deal of my dating years. I guess maybe that's why my dating years have officially been extended beyond many of those of my friends.

I like to think that I've been cured of my serial monogamy. I have had related afflictions here and there, but nothing as drastic as those years gone by. I have since suffered from Relationship-Roller Coaster Syndrome, one acute case (the bartender), and one more mild, but longer term. I am happy to report that after the long term relationships, I have in fact actually dated, first dates, second dates, even dated more than one guy at a time... I generally had a good time exploring the dating scene. Making up for lost time perhaps? But, there's no doubt, I'm not interested in dating the wrong guy for too long, not anymore... I'm cured, but I'm weary of a relapse.