Be a Conscious Man when You Fall in Love

I have neglected my blog of late. Yet no sooner is the rug swept out from under my feet than I come running to the blog – my virtual shoulder to cry on. This alone might reflect badly on my social habits.

“What happened?” the reader wonders. I’d rather let it kill me inside. All I’ll say is that Jolly Brothers’ song “Conscious Man” applies to me retrospectively. I recommend it as a reality check to all love struck young men out there. It’s an old-timey reggae track, but its message is worth overcoming any reggaephobia for. Below are disjointed sections of the lyrics.

When you fall in love with someone who doesn’t love you
They use you as a puppet on a string!
Look into yourself my friend, try to get wise,
And be a conscious man when you fall in love!

Solomon was wise but he couldn’t find the secret of a woman
(O yes it is true)
Samson was strong and deceived by a woman
(can’t you see?)
Look into yourself my friend, try to get wise
Don’t let a woman get you down
Just be a conscious man when you fall in love!

I know I’ve stirred readers’ curiosity for the back story to my posting of this apparently sexist song. The lyrics are probably relevant to you; let that suffice. All I know is right now there are too many convenient relationship arrangements established on other foundations besides LOVE, and I just very nearly fell into one such trap. I’m just shouting it out there that, whereas “you can’t eat love,” on the flip side, “money can’t buy you love.”

And the sum of the matter bears repeating: “Be a conscious man when you fall in love.” By all means fall in love, just keep your eyes wide open! Once in the past, an old flame, having analyzed my hyper-deliberative approach to life, confronted me. “Does EVERYTHING have to make sense to you?!” she demanded. Back then I was young and eager to please, so that I jumped to the defensive to minimize the image crisis. “Not EVERYTHING,” I lied.

But now, looking back, I understand that I had driven her into becoming an activist against my conscious conduct (but do I say). And when I saw the evangelist of blind roller-coaster romance preparing a crusade against my sober ways, I bowed my head in premature chickenhearted surrender.

DISCLAIMER: Being conscious is not an excuse to be mean and arrogant. Do not misconstrue me. it ought to facilitate looking for love. And remember – love is what love does, not what it says or looks like

Ecclesiastes 7:26
And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.