A friend of mine (we will call him Romeo) signed up on an online dating site hoping to meet someone special. Instead he received several inquiries of an unconventional nature. One woman invited herself to his house for dinner, another proposed a sex act, and a lady old enough to be his mother saw his picture and was certain they were meant to be together. The situation got more comical when he showed me their pictures. A few of them were okay looking, but most of them were making bizarre faces or displaying lots of cleavage. They weren’t trying to appear likeable or self assured. Qualities you think they would try to project.

This isn’t the first time I have heard of someone having a negative experience online dating. I tried it for a minute years ago but it was not for me. However I have a friend who met her husband on the internet and they are happily married. I also have two friends who got frustrated with it and closed their accounts. Once they did, they met the right person. Go figure. So is there a difference between a site you have to pay for vs. a free one? Will the page specifically for those of a certain ethnicity or religion lead you to a good match? I say no.

People go online for different reasons. Some will be honest, some will lie, and others are there for attention. And then there is the question, “Why do I get weirdos?” Last time I checked, weirdos are everywhere. They are at work, they live in your neighborhood, they are at the grocery store, and on and on. So it’s impossible to avoid them. For all you know, you could be someone’s weirdo.

So what became of Romeo? I think he is done with dating sites and is hoping the right woman will cross his path. Dating isn’t easy. It never will be. But instead of complaining about the journey I think it is best to look at it as an adventure and despite the bumps along the way, enjoy the ride.