By: On the DL

Don’t Put All Your Eggs In One Basket

It’s a saying we’ve all heard at one point or another, and it can relate to a variety of situations:

• job prospects
• personal life choices
• relationships
• you name it

I’ve followed that advice all my life. I plan everything I can and try to have at least one or two alternative plans just in case that first one doesn’t work.

It’s a smart way to go. No one wants to be left high and dry.

But when it comes to matters of the heart, is the safe, well-planned route always the best one to take? I find myself straddling that very question right now.

I can honestly say I would be incredibly blessed to spend my life with the man I’m currently dating. It’s been a while now and even though we live apart, we are closer emotionally than ever. We’re at the point where those “talks” are becoming more and more common. You know the discussions when you discuss finances, kids, buying a home versus living in an apartment first.

My gut and my heart tell me this guy may just be worth taking a risk for. That’s about the time my head joins the conversation. In the next year or so I’ll have to make some pretty big decisions about my work life.

If this man is “the one,” it will involve a move and some very narrow job options on my end. That is my decision, and something I’d always planned on doing even before we started dating. Our relationship just speeds up that process.

I’m excited about the possibility, but I can’t help wondering if I’m “putting all my eggs in one basket.” There is no ring on this finger, the “ifs” are not yet “whens,” and I’m still waiting for a few special words to drop months after we started dating. I FEEL so much love in our relationship, but should I be paying closer attention to those technicalities? Am I being naive? Am I getting caught up in the romance and butterflies and talks about the future?

When it comes to relationships when do you stop needing a backup plan? When is it okay to go all in and not only place your eggs in that basket but throw them in with such enthusiasm and excitement that you’re cleaning up runny egg yolks for days?

If you’ve got the answer, I’d love to hear it!