8/365: Men That Treat Women Well

I'm going to preface this entry with a few things:
1. This is just me stating something that I have noticed based on the stories that I've heard from a lot of women/men
2. This is not to bash anyone in particular - there are things guys wished girls did better and vice versa, this is me being thankful for men that treat women well
3. I am in no way an expert on this, and no one person is perfect

Over the past few weeks I have heard so many stories through my friends of girls that have been mistreated or hurt by a guy because he didn't call when he was supposed to, he said something mean, or it turns out that he has a girlfriend, or he left her for someone else. Each and every time it breaks my heart when I hear these stories and the one question we ask ourselves is, "Are there any decent men out there?!"

And even though I haven't necessarily met the one that I am possibly supposed to spend my life with yet, I know he is out there. How do I know this? I have so many great guy friends to prove it. I think God uses our friends to show us a taste of what a real friendship with the one we are supposed to spend our lives with is going to be like.

I look to my friends who are married and in serious relationships. I look to the good times in each of my own past relationships. There are things that I am thankful throughout that.

I remember a time when I was dating a guy in college and I skipped my English 101 class to spend with him. He took me to Belle Isle and we had a picnic that we shared there. That was beautiful and I was thankful for that, because it was only our third date.

A friend of mine who is married said that during her first pregnancy he brought her a pink rose every single day on his way home from work just to show her that he loved her.

What about the guy you have a crush on telling you that you are beautiful or that he loves something you do?

What about the guy friend who supports you when another man has treated you wrong?

I'm not saying that it takes away the pain of the wrongdoings of men (or women), but after being hurt in a serious relationship, I have found that the best way to heal and trust other men (so I can find the right one), is to appreciate when they are great, and to trust God that another great man will find a way through to my heart.

Guys, if you are reading this, my advice to you is to try harder at better communication. Again, I'm no expert, but most of what I have witnessed is the lack of good communication.

If you like a girl - don't be afraid to talk with her about it. Don't ignore a girl if she doesn't deserve it (and by that I mean she hasn't done something blatantly wrong to you to deserve a communication cut-off) If things don't work out, don't treat her poorly. If you are in a relationship that isn't working, communicate with her. Don't string a girl along either, if you know that you don't reciprocate the feelings that she might have, especially if you are already in a relationship.

And girls, communication is the key as well. Don't string along or ignore a boy if you don't feel the same way. In fact, if/when you talk about feelings, communicate directly and boldly your feelings, especially if you don't feel the same, or you aren't ready for a full relationship. In a relationship, communicate and stand up for yourself, especially if that person is mistreating you.

But most of all, be thankful and offer gratitude for when he does something well. Something that I am thankful for today.