I have to ASK?

by Joanna E. Dickson

If you didn’t catch last month’s newsletter, I shared a few green ideas for the dating scene; fun date activities that can easily be revisited, reused and recycled. There are places to go, things to do and you are not going alone.

Has your preparation for a date ever looked like this?:

Shower? Check.

Deodorant? Check.

Matching socks? Check.

Gas in the car? Check.

Guy/Gal? Che- What? I have to ASK someone?

Sometimes we forget that dates don’t grow on trees (the fruit kind do, but they aren’t good company). Even the best preparation for a date does one no good if the best of preparations aren’t taken care of previously; asking someone to join you in the near future for a good time.

Understandably, on the asker and the asked end of things, we sometimes experience doubts:

“I want to ask her to join me for the science lecture at the zoo but I’m afraid she’ll...”

“He asked me to join him for the first Friday art walk but...”

“I think she’s interested in... so why bother asking her to go dancing?”

“I’m just not... enough.”

You ARE enough. You are good enough. You are handsome/pretty enough. You are interesting enough. You are educated enough. You are enough just the way you are.

Heavenly Father packaged us all differently when He sent us here to dwell and grow. We are unique in how we look, who we are, what we have experienced, how we approach things... and how are we to get to know each other and appreciate those differences if we don’t spend time with each other outside of large groups doing the “hanging out” thing?

Men, again, it’s 2010 and the women in your life would like you to put down the video games and ask them on dates. Asking someone out for a date is not a marriage proposal; it’s just a date. Being asked out for a date is not a marriage proposal; it’s just a date. Going out on dates provide opportunities to learn, grow, and appreciate others. Through dating we are able to find and pursue interests which some day may lead to love and the joy of eternal marriage. Now really, who can argue with that?

(This was condensed and originally published in the Anchorage Alaska Institute of Religion newsletter for February 2010).