Anyone who has been in a relationship knows that there are ups and downs. There are days when you’ll love one another to death and then there are occasions when you’ll hate one another to DEATH. There are no two ways about it. This is the norm when it comes to relationships. Unless the two of you are literally identical in every way, there will be arguments. And if someone actually tells you that he/she never argues with his/her spouse or significant other, one of two things are relevant - either they’ve only been dating briefly, or there is a lack of communication between them. Trust me - I’ve seen the happy-go-lucky chipper couples, who act like everything is on the up and up. They commonly have the most problems. But, have no fear! There are many relationship articles and books to aid you in the relationship process these days. You’re definitely not alone on this one.

I’ve read a few relationship articles and studies in my day. My favorite material to read regarding relationships is psychology from the old guys. You know who I mean. Freud is by far my favorite. While some of the issues addressed and analyzed by these “geniuses” seems valid and insightful, other aspects fail to earn my respect. I mean come on - some of this old psych 101 stuff is just good for a laugh. On the other hand, I have taken two psychology courses in the past and they have helped me some with my relationship skills. These sort of relationship articles help us to understand ourselves and how our significant others must see us. In turn we’re able to relate and compromise more efficiently. Well, that’s my opinion anyway. I think a psychology class can benefit virtually anyone.

There is hardly a need to hit up your public library for intense relationship articles in this day and age. You can find a deluge of these in current magazines. Just take your pick! There are tons of women’s magazines as well as a few for men. Notice how the appeal steers more toward the softer sex. They clearly care more about making a relationship better. Wow, maybe we men should get off our bums. Then again, women like reading relationship articles, right?

I found it hysterical a few years ago when a few women wrote a book called “The Rules”. I don’t know what possessed them to think they knew all there was to know about dating, and it was even funnier when I heard what was in the book. Though there are some things that are common sense in any dating situation, there are no set rules of dating that will work for everyone. I have been married a long time, and haven’t dated since long before I met my husband, but even I know this is true. I suspect a lot of people who got that book ended up very disappointed.

The rules of dating are that there aren’t many set rules. Guidelines might be a better way to go, but you should never claim you know the rules of dating. You can say that you should wait a certain amount of time to call someone back, or to never kiss on the first date, but those things won’t work for everyone. Every single person on this planet is unique, and the situation that arises between two of these people is unique as well. You can’t begin to know what would work for any two people, and to say so is very irresponsible.

Even worse, the women who followed these rules of dating were labeled as desperate. Many men would run the other way if they ever suspected some girl was reading a book that told them how to snare him for life. Not everyone is ready for that, and no book about the rules of dating is going to change that for anyone. There are some people who are not ready to get married, but they do enjoy dating and meeting new people. There is nothing wrong with that as long as they are honest about where they are in their life.

There are a few rules of dating that still do apply, but even those are not true for everyone. Almost anyone will tell you that if you sleep with a man on the first date he will not respect you and will walk away from you rather quickly. Though this is indeed good advice, and that holds true in many situations, it is not true for everyone. I know a couple that has been married for a very long time and they did indeed get together on the first date. They are very happy. They are also living proof that there are no rules of dating that apply to everyone all the time.