Needs

A few months ago, I needed to buy a new shower curtain. Some of the hook holes had ripped on the old one, and the curtain was no longer hanging properly from the shower rod.

At the store, I found two that I really liked. They were reasonably priced and would match my teal-colored rugs and toilet seat cover. One had an imprint of the world and the other one had circles of various sizes and bluish/teal colors. I like globes and maps of the world, so I was leaning heavily towards getting that one. But there was a problem.

It was see-through. Totally transparent except for the world imprint. It was about $2 cheaper than the opaque circle curtain, so I was initially all for getting it. But I couldn't get past the world's transparency.

I kept thinking what if friends or relatives came over and really needed to use my one bathroom when I was in the shower? I didn't want them to see my kibbles and bits. Plus I didn't want a view of the bathroom when I was in the shower. I wanted to be in a separate world (no pun intended) where there were no distracting views of the toilet or sink. Just me, the water, the soap, and my thoughts.

I also kept thinking of the shower scene from the movie Psycho. So the transparency was a little disturbing. The thought of seeing someone walk into the bathroom while I was in the shower would be scary.

So as I stood in the store weighing my options, I chose the one that met ALL of my needs. My need for a curtain, my need for privacy, my need to keep water from landing on the floor, and my need to match my current rug and toilet seat cover.

I had to meet all of these needs at a reasonable price. So I chose the opaque circle shower curtain. As much as I wanted the world, I didn't pick it because it wouldn't meet ALL my needs.

That's the same way that I view relationships now. It has to meet my needs. Needs like honesty and consistency. Those MUST be met. I've compromised before and stayed in unhealthy relationships when those needs weren't met. Though I learned valuable lessons, I don't want to compromise like that again.

I don't need the world - just the truth and follow through. I've come around full circle.