Think Like A Man – Not Quite A Movie Review

For the record, I hate relationship advice books.  Let me be more specific.  I hate men that give relationship advice to women.  I have ranted on this topic to many family members, friends and co-workers.  My basic premise is that men aren’t that complex.  There seems to be the perception that men are some deep mystery that women must seek a secret code to unlock the inner workings of the male mind.  I felt as if some men (looking at you Steve Harvey) chose to capitalize on this.  I felt that these so-called “men experts” put all the onus on women to make a relationship work.  You just don’t see many books geared toward offering men secrets to the female psyche.  At least there aren’t any that end up on the NY Times Bestseller List.

Then I went to see the movie, “Think Like A Man” based on the book of the same name by Steve Harvey.  It was date night and the Hubby and I did the dinner and movie thing.  The movie had been #1 for a few weeks and had generally good reviews.  I enjoy romantic comedies so I went into the viewing with an open mind.  The movie was great.  I thought it was funny and endearing.  I thought the premise was well executed and incorporated chapters from the book into a realistic story line.

Here is my main take away from the movie.  Women have the power.  We give it away thinking that will help us get or keep a man but the opposite is true.  A good man will step up  his game  to be with you.  You just have to require it.  Yes, it’s not easy and it may hurt.  You have to take the chance that he may walk away.  But even if he does, what have you lost?  It’s a common sense saying that people treat you exactly the way you allow them to.

To my fellow ladies I say, “Stop giving away your power.”  When Steve says, “Think like a man” I hear take control of your relationship.  And that’s something I think we can all agree on.

How Do You Measure Love?

 

Now that the spectacle of Valentine’s Day is over, we can get back to our regular love lives.  Full disclosure:  I’m not a big fan of February 14th.  Maybe it’s all the flowers and candy hearts.  Maybe it’s the over abundance of cupids and cards.  Maybe its the forced display of gifts signifying someone cared enough to send the very best.  I think it’s all of the above but mostly it is the commercialization of it all.

When I was  younger, V-day held a lot of weight.  I would measure the value of my  relationship by the amount of gifts I received.  With age comes wisdom and now I know that one day does not define a relationship.

My husband always delivers on Valentine’s Day and we celebrate along with the masses.  But I’ll take the everyday displays of love over cards and flowers every time.  The small acts of love like relinquishing the “big” television so that I can watch Grey’s Anatomy and Braxton Family Values.   The routine task of taking my car for service or planning our annual family vacation.  Giving me a call during the work day.  Buying me a laptop when I said I wanted to be a writer.    (Still working on that one, honey.) Being there through whatever life throws our way.  My husband’s love is on full display when he goes to a job that he hates but provides for our family.  He shows love in a thousand ways that don’t involve balloons or a piece of candy.

Valentine’s Day can be fun.  But I’ll take the every day gifts of love every time.  How do you measure love?