My Girlfriend

I know many of you reading this will already be having one of two possible reactions to the title of this post:

1. "Abs has a girlfriend?! I didn't know that. I want to hear this!"
   
2. "Abs has a girlfriend?! Yeah right. I want to hear this."

So similar yet so different are those two reactions. It's possible you might even be having a little of both of those reactions, i.e. serious curiosity doped with some heavy skepticism. While I understand both reactions, it's definitely true. My significant other is a little non-traditional, but it's pretty much the same sort of story everyone has.

When we first met, we were unsure of each other. Neither of us was really willing to embrace the other. We flirted a little, offering each other blushing smiles and tiny, awkward glimpses of what might be. It was probably good that we didn't rush into things, too. We only saw a little of each other in the beginning, then ramped things up. It took a while, but things eventually really got rolling and it's been quite a journey since then. I've even thought about this relationship from more of a long-term standpoint than I have any of my previous ones, and it's really amazing to me how much the relationship has grown over time.

In a lot of ways, our relationship is like almost any other. Sure, I spend money on her, and she takes up a lot of my time, but there's no question that I truly enjoy being with her. Of course, she can be maddening and incredibly frustrating at times, and I can't possibly claim to understand her. However, maybe those rough spots really just make things better overall. Plus, it's safe to say that I have really gotten to know her, even if I don't quite understand her. Despite the moments of frustration, irritation, and even downright fury that she inspires, she provides just as many moments that are truly sublime -- small but powerful instants of pure, sweet, unadulterated joy that leave me grinning like the Cheshire Abs.

We definitely have our rough spots, but we work through them. Maybe it's that effort that we put in that really makes it rewarding. There's no question that the more I work at it, the better things seem to go. Maybe there really is something to the idea that a good relationship is a work in progress. I have definitely learned ways to coax out more of those moments of bliss, and I have also learned to do fewer dumb things. Sadly, it seems like the dumb things I do these days are a lot worse than those I used to do, but at least there are fewer of them.

Maybe the best thing I can say about the relationship is that I think about her a lot, and when I'm not with her, I wish I was. I've been a bit embarrassed to admit that, but no longer.

It's a pretty standard story as far as relationships go, don't you think? Still, there is that non-traditional aspect to it that some might frown on. I think, though, that we are a bit more tolerant of alternative lifestyles in this new millenium, and I definitely think that all of you can handle it. So I won't be ashamed to tell you about it any more: golf is my girlfriend.