Rebecca sure did. In her late twenties, she was a study in misery. She'd dated Tom a few times in college, but nothing serious ever developed. A few years later, a job brought Tom back to Seattle, where they attended the same church and began palling around. "We're more than friends," is the way she described it. "You could say we're dating, but the sparks aren't really flying, at least for Tom." She talked about how Tom was focused more on his career in marketing than his relationships. In fact, he was now considering moving to Kansas City to enroll in a training program that would make him more attractive to potential employers. That's what brought Rebecca to our office.
After four months of quasi-dating in Seattle, Rebecca was considering a move to Kansas City to be with Tom. "My job is nothing to brag about," she told us, "and I have an aunt in KC who said I could stay in her spare room for a while."
I (Les) thought I might be misunderstanding and asked for some clarification: "You're going to move half way across the country to be near a guy that has made no commitment to your relationship?"
"I know! Isn't it crazy?" Rebecca said with nervous excitement. "But Tom and I were made for each other; he just doesn't know it yet. It probably doesn't make much sense, but it's something I've got to do; I mean, something could really develop between us."
I winced inside, knowing how much she longed for a relationship and how potentially painful such a decision could be. We explored other options for a few minutes, but she wasn't interested. She didn't want advice. Rebecca was headed to Kansas City - following her relocated knight in shining armor - and there was no talking her out of it.
Have you ever seen a scenario like this? It's not unusual. When someone buys into the myth that another person will meet all their needs, they will do almost anything - quit their job, change their appearance, have sex, get pregnant, or travel to the ends of the earth - just to be with them, believing that falling in love with each other is right around the corner. People who believe another person will complete them by meeting all their needs become human chameleons. Remember Zelig from the Woody Allen movie of the same name? He became who everyone around him wanted him to be. He was externally defined, looking to others to tell him who he was. People who believe this lie do the same thing when dating, and mistakes abound. The problem is that chasing after another person to have a relationship that makes you feel better about yourself spells certain disaster. And Rebecca's situation was no exception.
