The Next Best Thing

I'm starting to wonder if the internet is slowly destroying our ability to be happy with what we have.

Every day, we can turn on our computer and immediately we are bombarded with options: what we could buy, what we could wear, where we could go to eat, who we could date, where we could work, the list goes on and on. And even if we are perfectly content with what we have at the moment, a little bit of online shopping - for people, places or things - and all of a sudden, we can't even help ourselves, we just want more.

I wonder, are we selfish or just fickle?

One of my friends had an almost perfect first date earlier this week with a really nice guy. Instead of the usually awkward beginning, the date she wasn't really looking forward to was instantly exciting - from the moment they both sat down and ordered that drink (the one he didn't actually even get to order right away) to the final goodnight kiss at the front door. With dark hair and bright blue eyes, she thought he was cute, interesting and easy to talk to. He thought she was sweet and fun and sexy. They spent the whole evening laughing, talking, bonding.

They stayed out way too late that night and then, without any thought or delay, made plans to meet up again in the next few days before they even said goodbye. It seemed so promising, but, in the end, a second meeting never actually materialized. Initially engaged and persistent, he became busier and less communicative as the week went on.

Unfortunately, thanks to the internet, there was no mystery as to the reason why. The posting of new pictures and constant reworking of his online dating profile started to annoy her as concurrently his messages to her started trailing off and the dates kept getting reshuffled. In the end, she sent him a message letting him off the hook and went to yoga instead. I think she's finally become one of those girls who doesn't want/need anyone who doesn't want/need her. I'm so proud of that! I would guess that she's going to date the other guy she met that week, the one who adores her and treats her really well. She's been asking the Universe for him all summer, and now he's here. It would be stupid to say no.

In a world where people are so quick to throw away last years wardrobe, smartphone, vehicle, TV, Ipod, etc. in favour of the newest model to hit the shelves, it's not surprising that people, relationships, friendships, love affairs can all be quickly tossed aside by many who are in the constant search of the "next best thing".

For those who know what it's like to have been disappointed and discarded by someone who seemed so promising, be happy to know that not everyone is like that. There are more and more people who like to recycle. They search for what it is they know they want, and they'll put time and effort and hard work into it. And they are so excited to find something rare and unique and distinctive that when they find it, they polish it up and put it on a pedestal. They love it. The tear or scrape that may make something completely disposable to one person might just be the very thing that makes it so special to someone else.

Internet be damned. The "best thing" out there is simply the thing that is best for us. And we will know it when we see it. It's just up to us not to look at it briefly, get distracted by something new and shiny and let our "best thing" sit there unnoticed, unused and unappreciated while we pass on by, wondering why we never find our "happiness". :)