MARK'S...
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 Volume 1 ~ Issue 4 ~ 1 January 2000     (C)1999 Mark Krell
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RELAX!... DON'T TAKE THINGS PERSONAL... ENJOY YOURSELF!

  What better way to start out a new millennium than for me
to tender what I think is the best piece of advice I have ever
given to anybody... I not only say this to other people, but I
live it!  These realizations have helped me to keep things in
perspective and keep my spirits up.

  This philosophic approach towards finding a new partner is
workable if you let it because it is built on a foundation of
truth.

  Many factors cause the search for an acceptable new partner
to be a numbers game.  Because there are so many people who
are handicapped by lack of partner skills, fear of or emotional
inability to genuinely love another, unresolved previous agenda,
serious emotional scars from past hurts, unwillingness to disclose
(tell the whole truth), loyalty, ethical behavior, a sense of fair
play, and good stewardship of their person and their life such as
a poor sense of economy, unhealthy living practices, and let's
not forget criminal tendencies.  There are also those who are 
just plain nuts.

  It stands to reason that: You, a nice sane loving person are
faced with weeding through the Ms/Mr Wrongs until you come upon
Ms/Mr Rights.  A numbers game!

  Add to this the selection criteria even nice people apply to
who they choose for their new partner.  Can I help it if she
wants a beefy muscular guy and I'm not?  Can any lady or man
help it if their hair or eye color or the size of certain parts
of their anatomy even though they're height/weight proportional
doesn't match a new prospect's expectations?  You're a sports
fan, they are not.  You like the arts, they don't.  It's a 
numbers game.

  Worrying yourself will not help you through this selection
process any faster.  Worrying that you will never find someone
to love and be loved by is also self-defeating.  Besides, have
you noticed that most of the things we worry about never happen.
It's usually what we didn't even think to worry about that comes.

  So, I tell you to RELAX!

  With the searching and selection process comes some rejection.
This is a good thing and while somewhat disappointing at times,
should not overly disturb you.

  If there were no rejection, most of us would be stuck with
somebody who can't possibly contribute to our happiness!  When
a lady rejects me, she frees me to go and find a lady who will
love me.  I'll bet a lot of you haven't looked at rejection
like this, but isn't it true?

  And, understanding that rejection can come from a great
variety of reasons that may very well have nothing to do with
the nice persons we are, how can you get bent out of shape?

  One of the nicest ladies I know says that if they know me and
they reject me, I take it personal.  I say WHY?  You have to
get to know somebody to learn enough about them to get a sense
of whether you're gonna do well in life with them.

  While some aspects of rejection may be personal, truth is
that the thing that caused them to reject you is every bit as
probable to be due to a personal taste or a deficiency of theirs
as it is yours. So I say...

  DON'T TAKE THINGS PERSONAL!

  People like to be around other people who are cheerful. You
know this.  You know that it feels like work to be around dull
and sad people.  There are a thousand sayings about this...
"Smile and the world smiles with you..."

  Some folks tell me they're surprised that I'm a fun person
to be around... they think that because I lost my feet Im
expected to be a "sad case"... I was a fun person to be around
before I lost my feet... What?  I'm supposed to let a little
thing like losing feet change who I am?  Go sit in a corner
and eat worms?  Be a hard person to visit or never get invited
anywhere because my presence makes people feel bad?  If you
want that kind of behavior, I suggest you go find a REAL
criple because it ain't me!

  Here's the point... Count your fingers and toes... they all
there?  Check yourself out... If you're like most people they
are all there too... So, no matter who did what to you or what
happened in past, YOU HAVE SURVIVED AND YOU STILL HAVE YOU!!!

  If you are still holding onto anger and resentment towards
people who have hurt you in the past, STOP IT!  If they're
not living right and they're hurting other people, they will
hurt themselves more that you could possibly hurt them! Let
it go... Forgive them.

  If you are so afraid of being hurt again that you can't
allow someone new to get really close to you, STOP THAT!
Remember that you have survived... the benefits to be gained
from finding your new love far outweigh the risks you take
in generating new relationships! (I promise to talk about
learning how to make better choices soon.)

  In this I know that I am right... This won't happen, but
even if I go to my grave without finding my new sweetheart,
my life will be better for the hope in my heart than if I
adopt positions and attitudes that will guarantee my growing
old alone and unloved... Think about it.

  So, if we feel better when we are enjoying ourselves, and
we know that we are more attractive to others when we are
cheerful, then I say to you...

  ENJOY YOURSELF!

  Three little phrases... but what phrases!  Now repeat
after me, 10,000 times if necessary...

  RELAX!... DON'T TAKE THINGS PERSONAL... ENJOY YOURSELF!

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  WHY IS MARK WRITING LOVELETTERS SO QUICKLY?

  It's not my intention to write LoveLetters at such short
intervals forever... The best way I know to share with you
things I've learned, things I've observed and can't figure
out, and emotional and intellectual positions that explain
where I'm coming from is to dig back into past emails and
in person experiences that have stimulated responses from
me.  These issues will slow down and probably only be
prompted by new experiences and the things you ask or tell
me.  Feel free to write to me... If it's very personal, you
will get a personal response... If it suggests an important
learning or inspirational issue, I'll de-personalize it and
put it here.  Your concerns just might help somebody else!

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it may be helpful or entertaining... http://eiw.com/loveletters/

  If you no longer wish to receive LoveLetters, send an email to me
with "No More LoveLetters" as the subject.

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end of issue.

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