Dealing With the Uncomfortable Moments: How to Handle Your Most Embarassing Moments With Dignity
What is true romantic intimacy? According to the dictionary, it's loosely defined as a close and affectionate relationship between two people who care about each other and aren't afraid to show it. How can you display it without looking like a Hallmark greeting card or a low rent 9 1/2 Weeks? Sometimes, it can be displayed through a touch or laying all of your emotional cards on the table. Is it possible to get close to someone without making a fool out of yourself? That's the ultimate challenge in establishing true romantic intimacy with a loved one.
Can you put your heart on the line without getting partially burned in the process? Look at Ryan Reynolds in the movie Just Friends where he tried to tell his longtime friend (Amy Smart) that he loved her. Every move he made was the wrong one, until he simply had to take the risk that she felt the same. That's the chance you have to take in getting close with your loved one. Here are three scenarios to follow to deal with your most embarassing romantic moments with a hint of dignity and a sense of humor. At the very least, you can pull a Ben Stiller in There's Something About Mary and shrug off getting nearly caught in a very compromising position. Read on to see if you can deal with your own embarassment with a slightly different approach.
Bad Timing- What could go wrong when you declare your feelings to someone you love? How about finding them in the arms of another man? In the movie Adventureland, that's what happened with James (Jesse Eisenberg) when he found his dream girl Em (Kristen Stewart) in an intimate clinch with a married man (Ryan Reynolds). It was painful and embarrassing that he put himself out there to only get burned. James tried to move on with other girls, but none could hold a candle to Em. After a series of mistakes, James took a risk and decided to visit Em to declare his true feelings for her one last time. In the end, the best way to fix a case of bad timing is to make it the right time in a way that makes sense to you. Write a letter to your partner that described everything you couldn't say to them directly. If that doesn't work, a well meaning relationship between the two of you is no longer in the cards.
Choosing the Wrong Partner- What happens when you ignore all of your instincts and marry the wrong person? That's the biggest embarassment of them all, because it betrayed your feelings and shattered your potential for a relationship with someone better. Your heart told you rather loudly to marry your equal Ryan and your head choose the good on paper but the less than perfect Bill. An ending was on the horizon. It was just a question of when. Look at the movie Definitely, Maybe where Will (Ryan Reynolds) made one relationship mistake after another. He got involved with someone with a hidden agenda (Rachel Weisz) who betrayed him and married someone who wasn't his ideal mate (Elizabeth Banks). The only one that Will overlooked was his sometime friend April (Isla Fisher) and all it took was his young daughter to show him what he should've known all along. Now, that's definitely embarassing. A lot worse than allowing your date to put on questionable hair gel like in There's Something About Mary.
Of course, that doesn't compare to entering two questionable relationships with Sarah Hardwicke (Meg Ryan) and her teenage daughter Lucy (Kristen Stewart) after a painful break-up. Writer Carter Webb (Adam Brody) went to visit his grandmother to find himself living very close to the Hardwicke family who were struggling to stay sane. While Sarah and Carter were just friends, Carter and Lucy's relationship was a recipe for disaster from the start. This was carefully demonstrated when Carter went to a high school party only to feel like the oldest person there. It's best to maintain relationships with people who are part of your generation to avoid uncomfortable situations such as high school parties. Pick someone who you have more in common with than shared loneliness. It doesn't end well for everyone involved.
Waiting Much Too Long- Have been in love with your best friend and have no idea how to tell them? What if you didn't realize that your better half was always close by until they moved on with someone else? In the movie Zack and Miri Make a Porno, longtime friends Zack (Seth Rogen) and Miri (Elizabeth Banks) are in desperate need for money and decided to make a dirty movie to get quick cash. Sadly, the only thing that the idea unearthed was their true feelings for each other. It came at the worst possible time when they were filming a pivotal scene for their ill-planned movie idea. The true embarassment came when they were watching that scene in the movie and their failure to see the sparks between them sooner. When they realized their love for each other, both made the mistake of backing away at the wrong possible time. When it comes to love, it's best to leave everything out in the open when you still have the chance. Don't wait too long, because your soulmate could move onto someone else before you know it.
Ultimately, love is about taking a leap of faith with someone. Once you do that, you can learn how to accept the good and the awkwards outcomes that might follow. Learn from your embarassment and show that you have a sense of humor. That might go a long way, especially if you made an ill-advised movie with your best friend. Laughter is indeed the best medicine, especially when you need to laugh off anything that comes your way.
