Teaching girls to know the difference

"We need to teach our daughters to distinguish between a man who flatters her - and a man who compliments her. A man who spends money on her - and a man who invests in her. A man who views her as property - and a man who views her properly. A man who lusts after her - and a man who loves her. A man who believes he is God's gift to women - and a man who remembers a woman was God's gift to man...And then teach our boys to be that kind of a man."

I don't know who wrote the above statement, but they nailed it. For years I've told friends the key to solving so many of society's ills would be for women to stop putting up with bad behavior from men - and for men to treat women with the respect, dignity and kindness they deserve.

But so many women seem to be willing to do almost anything not to be alone, and so many men view women as property, as play things to do with as they will.

Over the years, more than a dozen women have wanted to marry me - many simply because they didn't want to be alone. The ink on their divorce papers wasn't even dry yet. Others were simply a matter of bad timing or a "bad fit." Not that either of us was bad, just that we shouldn't marry each other. I haven't given up hope, though I'm sure others wonder if I'll ever "settle down." When the time is right and the person is right, I have faith it will happen.

I've always viewed relationships of all labels as investments. Over time, they'll bear great fruit and grow stronger. That takes effort, and not everyone wants to bother with that. Sometimes, you just have to "let go," and greet the next day...the next week...the next month.

But I've forged countless quality friendships along the way, and to me it seems the only wise way to go.