Love is a Battlefield

Sorry about the cheesy 80's reference, but it was the best phrase that comes to mind when I think about my Saturday evening dinner.

I had a wonderful dinner with a male friend of mine. No, not "date" material, just friends. We get together every few months to catch up and talk about each others' love lives. Come to think of it, I think I've blogged about my nights out with him on more than one occasion.

We have a little bit of a confrontational-style friendship. I think I am very comfortable with these types of male friendships because it reminds me of my sibling relationships.

As we chit-chatted about life in general, we eventually got to some deeper topics as we often do. Tonight- it was about love.

He said a few things that really bothered me- in the moment, and even more so as I thought about them later. Let me know what you think:

"I think people have only a limited amount of romantic love in them. Kind of like a reservoir. And I think there's a good chance that I don't have another love like that left in me."

I told him I disagreed with him strongly. I told him I thought I had an unlimited amount of love in me- sometimes it feels like I'm gonna burst, I'm so filled with it. That's one of the reasons I would like to have a life partner and maybe a family- so I can use some of this love I have to give.

In response to this, he says "Really? That's surprising. No offense or anything, but you don't strike me like that. You don't seem to be that loving and romantic."

Well- I was offended. How the hell would he know about my capacity for romantic love? I've never loved him as anything more than a friend.

He didn't stop there.

"You think you're romantic? Tell me your idea of a romantic moment."

Yikes. I felt pressured and put on the spot. I am romantic. But how am supposed to prove that by answering an interview-type question? I started thinking about some of the romantic moments I've had in my life. But as I played them in my head, they don't sound as romantic in the telling...I tried to explain this.

For me...it's the small moments. It's the Sunday mornings. The unexpected kisses in the middle of the grocery store. It's the passionate embraces when he pushes me against the wall the moment I walk in the door. It's the way his eyes light up with love and hunger when he sees me. It's when he does what he says he's going to do. When he brings me chicken soup when I'm sick, and I didn't ask for it.

"Uh-huh... It's a little different for me. Much more intense than that."

OK. Bring it on.

"For me... it's like, if the two of you are in a plane that's about to crash. And there's only one parachute. And you both want the other to use it. And neither of you want to use it, so you die together."

Oh pulleeezzzzz! Seriously??

Am I a non-romantic, or is he a bit looney?