A Tale of Two Realities

A date is an important avenue to build relationships, a place where we can get a full sense of direction regarding how things will go, and a space to catch up, get to know more about each other, communicate, and the like. Over time, I've come to have some amazing date experiences, while some were lovely, others were quite the opposite, and each of those experiences is what shapes my thoughts on my worst and ideal dates, so without further ado, let's take a look into two opposite experiences.

Worst date

Starting with my worst date experience, which I think I've once written about here on Hive, I had prepared mentally for this date, hoping to stir up conversation and start something that would strengthen our friendship, since it was the first time we were meeting in person and the outcome of that date would determine the direction the friendship would head towards, and since we'd hit the ground running on a friendly note via chat, I was almost certain the chemistry would pave the way, but I was wrong.

First it was her coming to the date location alongside two friends of hers, then it was her asking if the restaurant has a takeaway package, after which they went on to place order after order. Even though I was kind of pissed already, I still tried to start a conversation about our interests, hobbies, plans, and even light humor. Unfortunately, she was more interested in the meal and the conversation with her friend, making me leave in annoyance without them noticing. It was a red flag for me. I mean, it was in the daytime, and where we met was an open place, so I see no need for bringing a friend, and when you do, you should at least create time for the person who invited you. That experience went on to be one of my worst date experiences.

Ideal date

On the other hand, talking about my ideal date, you can imagine a simple open-air setting at the park that isn't too crowded, a setting with great ambience and where the conversation flows effortlessly, one where we exchange various stories, share random experiences and facts, laugh, and share personal dreams and ambitions.

What makes such a date ideal isn't because of the food or the ambience, but the shared connection, from the curiosity to the eye contact, genuine listening to the likes, from sharing childhood memories to favorite travel experiences, life journey, and philosophy. I've once had such an experience on a date, and trust me, it didn't feel like a date but like rediscovering someone I hadn't met yet. It was mind-blowing and fulfilling.

So overall, my ideal date is one where conversation comes naturally, with nothing being forced, and the day comes to an end with both of us feeling like time flew too fast. But that doesn't mean the date has to be perfect; to me, it just needs to be real, letting the energy flow and having a good time.

All photos are taken and edited on canva.