I've always enjoyed it. This country loved it when I was young. Europe has refined this wonderful gift, and it still thrives in many areas of the world. So why have we given up on this exciting tool for the ego? At the risk of shaking up the feminist gods, let me state here I have strong favorable understandings of many women's issues and agree we have a way to go in many arenas, but this one I think we threw out the shampoo bottle with "washing that man right out of my hair." What am I talking about? Why flirting of course!
Have you noticed how puritanical and careful we have all become? There just ain't no fun no mo. My parents were Italian immigrants, but I was born in the US, so I had a good taste of the art of flirting. What is so fantastic is that it is ageless. We can take it to our deathbed. It doesn't require great learning, and it is forgiving. The only mistakes that I see that are made is when we sexualize instead of sensualize the interaction. We don't appear to understand the difference. A life without flirting is like a sandwich without the filling.
I recall when I was growing up, watching the interplay of adults. It gave me a sense of warmth, even though I didn't quite follow the magic of this delight. Blushing pulled such power. I even saw men blush when they received an unsolicited compliment. It was beautiful. It seems to be all a mix of recognizing and paying homage to our human friends.
Those wonderful truck drivers knew how to spend their lives on highways, looking at women and giving them an appreciative salute. Or how about our whole society of construction workers? I love the commercial of a group of female office workers looking out the window at a well-developed "sweet" drinking a can of soda. Can you tell me that doesn't warm the cockles of your heart? It has restorative factors for the giver as well as the receiver. To know we can still impress and affect fast heartbeats in one another is like a non-verbal, aerial, love letter.
It's sad to see us walking past each other without acknowledgement of our inate plumage. Animals do a much better job of paying mind to their species with their sniffs and grunts. We are stifling too many wonderful expressions of attention, with our harassment paranoia. Why can't we just learn how to do our flirting with sensitivity and cleverness, not with vulgarity and boorishness?
When I was a little girl, living a short time with my parents in Italy, my mother and I would walk past a group of men of various ages sitting in the afternoon shade engaged in political discourse, but as soon as a lady, young or old came into view, their conversations came to an immediate halt. They promptly activated their internal pleasures...sometimes with sighs, hand gestures of gentlemanly approval or just with their eyes. Whatever worked. My mother's eyes would cast down and I could see a blushing smile cover her face. Are you to tell me if she had such a hard day fighting the home monsters, that this little display would not be better than any exotic anti-depressant? I have to say, it was wonderful to see the different responses the women gave in return. The lady might haughtily feign disapproval with a shrug of her shoulders, but walk away with a feeling of conquest. The styles of this art are numerous.
In Spain my husband and I loved watching the skillful admiration of women and men as they paraded past one another. In one situation, three beautifully groomed and coifed, post-menopausal ladies, their waists long gone, but never their confidence, walked arm and arm in the plaza. A couple of men spotting the oncoming threesome, performed a Sir Walter Raleigh sweeping bow. The women acknowledged the gesture with laughter and smiles. In turn the men were also disarmed.
When I first moved to our present home in the Northwest, I was crossing the street in our little town, not feeling particularly up to snuff, dowdy I would say, when my unnamed hero appeared in his car at the stop sign. He looked at me, and I caught his glance. Our eyes held for couple of seconds, and he gave a low humming "ohhhh". I smiled and thanked him. When I returned home I weeded two flower beds, cleaned a closet and re-tinted my hair. Now that's good energy for these old bones.
It doesn't mean, to accept these gifts, we must abandon our vows, whatever they may be. The fragrance and beauty of a rose can be smelled, and enjoyed upon the bush without cutting it away.
Democratic Dilemmas and Divine Inspiration examines the significance or relevance of the idea that the U.S. Constitution was, as many believe, divinely inspired. How much did that belief matter to founders of the nation and how much does it matter no
