Letting Uncertainty Fade Before Calling It Dating
I have found that relationships work better for me when they begin somewhere that is not explicitly a date. I was playing in a band and eventually dated someone in the band. We already shared an interest, and we had time to be around each other without the pressure of deciding whether this was romantic. We could get to know each other gradually, with some common ground already there.
I met my wife through a family connection. A relative had known her family for decades, and both sides trusted him. Before we even met, he had already told each family good things about the other person. That did not guarantee anything, but it removed some uncertainty. When we met, we were not complete strangers trying to evaluate each other from nothing.
That uncertainty at the beginning seems like the hardest part to me. A sudden strong impression can feel romantic or passionate, but it can also disappear once two people spend more time together. In an interest group, a gaming community, or a trusted introduction, people can see more of one another before either person feels placed under a judgment. For me, that lower-pressure beginning has been a much better way to find out whether a relationship might actually work.
