I've been to a lot of weddings lately, and my longest running relationships to date are with many of my close single friends out there. To all of my fellow single sisters, if God should ever will that I leave this state of singlehood, I make these solemn vows to you for as long I shall live:
I promise to never suggest you date a guy purely for his singleness -- disregarding compatibility issues such as age, personality type and personal issues -- whether he be attractive or unattractive, while I myself am dating. I promise not to make insensitive side comments about "what a catch" a single man is in your presence, creating an awkward situation by which you feel the need to respond about why you aren't into him. I promise to only make suggestions and set-ups with your explicit permission and otherwise not make any kind of intrusive remarks about your singleness.
I promise to be sensitive and aware of any and public displays of affection, especially when you are the only single person present, thereby making you feel uncomfortable and hyper-aware of your singleness.
I promise to not disappear in my relationship and lose touch with you, my single friends, leaving you to conclude that couples and marrieds will only socialize with other couples and marrieds.
I promise to never downplay the hopelessness and frustration you feel or make you feel like there's something very wrong with you for still being single. Instead, I promise to listen to how hard this can be as it comes up and try to encourage you with the truths that have encouraged and kept me going in the past.
I promise not to excessively gloat or gush over my significant other around you.
I promise to value and weigh in your input on my relationship, and never make you feel like you have less to offer me.
I promise never to joke about or laugh at any and all jokes that fall in the "singles vs. marrieds" category at church. I will also never joke the decay of fertility, or about the subject of age at all.
I promise to encourage you with reminders of the freedoms you have as a single person and help you fully embrace the amazing season that it is. I promise to be transparent about my own life as I have been in the past, as it pertains to my relationship as well.
I promise to try as much as appropriate to encourage other perennially single but eligible men to realize their hurdles against finding one of dozens of perfectly attractive and awesome women out there, and try to empower them to do something about it.
I promise to suffer with you in sickness, celebrate with you in health, just as I did as a fellow single person.
These are my solemn vows to you.
