I feel like a freak. I try to see the good in my life but am bewildered and discouraged by being single. In sum, I wonder if I should have exercised less caution and good judgment and maybe have had a more interesting life. Ask Mr. Blue Print story E-mail story Bewildered Dear Bewildered, What's a girl to do, indeed. There is a sort of pessimism and extreme guardedness that passes for good conservative judgment and I don't say that this is your problem, but the effect of it is chilling.
Life demands a measure of spontaneity.
There is distant music and you hike over the hill to find it. Someone fascinating comes into view and you practice the art of flirting. There is no conflict between adventurous curiosity and integrity and good humor. I think of people who, in their 20s, seem 40-ish or older, as if they had always aspired to skip their youth and go straight to the conventions of middle age. They listened to their parents' cautions much too well and avoided excess and frivolity and they land in their 30s in good jobs with good benefits and wind up feeling that they skipped an essential step in growing up.