I am Bridget Jones

So here it is, take away the big girl panties & replace them with skimpy lace ones, change the British accent to a Southern one, it’s me, I am Bridget Jones. After years of friends joking about how much Bridget Jones & I had in common, I just blew it off… never thinking too much about it. However, the other day was different. I didn’t blow it off, instead, I watched with amazement. Realizing, I am that girl, the one who dance around the house in her panties, singing loudly and terribly off key. The same girl who trips up the stairs, falls out of cars, and on more than one occasion spent the day with my skirt tucked in to my pantyhose.

Constantly keeping track of pounds lost and cigarettes smoked, we share many of the same struggles. Our shared taste for bad men and lack to distinguish when the good ones are interested leaves us in a constant quandary over our love lives. I attribute our naivety to being good hearted. However, I have learned that thinking people have the best intentions can prove to be very dangerous to our hearts and leave us looking like fools. For example, you look on the surface, dating the wrong guy has always kinda been my thing. You know the type, unavailable in every sense of the word. Those guys who think hitting women, having five girlfriends, lying about the littlest things, is all ok. Yes, those are the men I have found. However, if you know me, you know to look passed that and see there is a reason behind it. I never wanted to change anyone or even tried but have always felt in my heart that no one could really wanted to be such an asshole, liar, or cheat…. I thought they would want to change themselves if they found the right girl and I thought was that girl. Well I was wrong, mean people will always be mean people, cheaters will always be cheaters and liars will always be liars. I am learning to ward off the Daniel Cleavers of the world and expand my search for the Mark Darcy’s. However, it has left me in a position having a hard time trusting people, always keeping the Mark Darcy’s of the world at an arms length.

Anyone who has watched the second Bridget Jones should be familiar with the part where she lands herself in a Thai jail. I am the girl whose naivety would land her in a Thai jail. But, it is also totally me to trade the crazy little Thai girls my bra for a cigarette all the while orchestrating them in a choir singing Madonna’s Like a Virgin. You may also remember her EX saves the day and she believes that it’s not because he loves her, he is simply a messenger. It’s not till later where she realizes it was all him he was no messenger. When she goes after him to tell him she loves him, she finds herself corned by the woman she thought he loved… Who turns out to be a lesbian in love with her! Anyone that knows me, knows that is something that would happen to me.

As I watched I sat there in shock thinking, no, this is not ok, I don’t want to be that girl. Who wants to be known as the real life Bridget Jones? Not me. I didn’t want to be the girl known for dating the wrong guys, the girl who walked into a sliding glass door or even the girl who laughs at inappropriate times and says things without thinking because she is nervous. I didn’t want to be known for that. There is more to me than having bad luck, being clumsy and dating the wrong kind of men. Then after sitting there for a moment, I realized I am that girl and I am ok with that and yes there is way more to me than that but it’s me…. Perfectly imperfect. I may get nervous and laugh at inappropriate times and say things with out thinking, I may trip and fall in front of a room of gorgeous men, I may even be the girl who walks into glass doors or trip up the stairs, but that’s me. Bad luck, clumsiness and being naive, that’s all part of me and I share that with Bridget Jones. That’s just me. Always has been, always will be and I am happy with that. That’s right people. I am Bridget Jones and I am ok with that.