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It’s summer, you are at the beach and the water looks inviting. You walk to the edge to test the temperature. You dip your toe and immediately pull your foot back. It’s really cold. You decide you aren’t that hot, so you walk back to your towel on the beach, grab a drink and continue people watching.

The beach is like dating. I’m recently out of a relationship and everyone is telling me I need to get back “out there”. Out there is this expansive space covered with sand with a huge body of water at it’s edge.

Overall, the beach is a great place to visit for a short time. It’s fun, but leaves you exhausted… too much sun and sand. To me the beach represents all the places you go out with your single friends. It’s all the endless (but familiar) bars and restaurants with the loud music where you try (and sometimes pretend) to have a good time.

The best part of the beach is, of course, the ocean. The ocean looks beautiful. However, I’ve never really liked water.  I stand as far back as possible before I turn on the water in the shower. I think shower stalls and tubs need to be made longer so I can slowly walk into the water. I don’t like running through sprinklers. I don’t like being sprayed with a hose. It takes me a good long time for me to get into a pool. I’ve ruined a number of bathing suits by sitting on the edge instead of getting in.

The ocean is the worse. I can’t see what I’m getting into, the temperature is never as it seems, and the water movement is unpredictable. I find the ocean a bit scary.

Which brings me back to dipping my toe in the ocean. I got out there and went on a date this week. A colleague recommended a friend.

My date invited me to dinner in Bethesda. In the middle of our meal, he asks me, “What’s your deal?” This was our first date. (I had told the colleague my recent relationship had ended. That is when he suggested his friend.)

My date was none to happy and asked why I had not told him. This was our first date. I told him I was trying to get back “out there.” I wasn’t sure I was ready, I was dipping my toe.

The last thing the guy said to me that evening was, “How did you get to the metro? I said, “I took a bus.” He then said, “Okay. Bye and have a great life.”  and walked away.

Ouch! Not a nice guy. I could understand his disappointment, but no reason to be so rude.

I dipped my toe in the ocean of dating and the water was ice cold. I’m going back to my towel on the sand…