"I Like You. It's Just Bad Timing."

Have you ever had someone tell you that they like you enough to date, but the timing was all wrong?  ...And then find that they began dating someone else soon after this disclosure.  The question that a friend asked on a public forum was "How do you evaluate that?"  This is my reply:

I think initially I would be mad/sad. No one likes to be rejected. But after I put my emotions to the side (which can be easier said than done, because, hey, it hurts) I can see it as if (in my case since I'm female *lol*) the man doesn't believe that he is yet the man he needs to be to be with a woman like me. I would respect him for respecting me enough to not knowingly cross that line prematurely and take advantage of the love I have for him (because when I love I give it all). Since I've been in a similar situation before, I can attest that when I started thinking rationally of what his actions meant (he loved me enough to protect me), my love for him blossomed. He's still a dear friend of mine. And although I love him, I thank him for the rejection because with time I've learned that ... the woman I am and the man he is are best being friends. So I avoided a heartbreak and, most likely, losing a good friend.

One thing I've learned is that a man knows what he wants. If a man says he doesn't want to be with you, that he's not ready, etc. ...he means it! He means it, trust me, he does. As a woman I know from personal experience that the worst mistake we, as women, can make is think that we can change his mind, convince him otherwise. I SAY LIVE YOUR LIFE AND TAKE HIS WARNING. Now, if you two are friends, which I hope would be the case, if you are considering him to be your (possible) life partner, in time it is likely that he may one day be ready AND want you, but it's gonna take you to just be yourself--be his friend, and not some woman who is waiting around desperately but living her life happily... with him as a friend--not you hitting him in the head with not-so-subtle hints that you are his future wife. A man has to find that out for himself. That's why I think it is said "A man that finds a wife finds a good thing" (Proverbs 18:22) because when a man sees a woman to be his wife with his OWN eyes, his OWN discovery you better believe it's the best thing he's ever seen--the one woman who he wants, needs and therefore willingly CHOOSES (not forcingly pressured) to spend the rest of his life together and create wondrous things with the love they share (which won't happen if he resents you for pressuring him to marry you). 'Cause I can tell you, as a woman who has seen potential in a few men in my past (keyword "past" meaning they are no longer here presently, which means what I wanted definitely wasn't what God wanted for me), I have met my husband 3 times, maybe 4 times. *lol* I'm serious. So I thank God for the men who didn't want me enough to be loyal or enough to even cross the line of friendship because, if I had made it my way, I would be in a miserable relationship with a guy I once admired and the man that was meant for me would be passing me by.

Rejection's good! We just HAVE to see the blessing in it. Rejection is like protection. For real.