My favorite part of Mandy Stadtmiller’s column:

It was actually me who instigated the second date with Super Preppy, a guy who I’ve been dating half a year now. Days, then weeks had passed since our first date, and he had just about started to fade out of my phone forever. Then I texted him one night on the off chance that he’d be a good distraction.

And instead I now have the strongest relationship I’ve had in years. So, please, do me a favor. Don’t believe “He’s Just Not That Into You.” If I believed that, I never would have texted him. And here’s what I will always remember instead.

“It was a nice surprise to hear from you,” SP said on our second date, shyly, barely knowing me.

“Yeah,” I said trying to appear very bad-ass, “well some other guy blew me off.”

Then he looked at me, half-cocked his head and said in the most gentle way I’ll never forget, “Why would anyone ever blow you off?”

It is 2008, friends.

Why would anyone ever blow you off?

Shitty things happen all the time - with our families, our careers, and especially in our relationships. But that doesn’t mean you have to shut down and become embittered.

My grandparents have this cheesy framed quote in the guest bathroom that says, “A ship in the harbor is safe. But that is not what ships were made for.”

Exactly.