In Greek mythology Scylla and Charybdis were terrible monsters.

Once a beautiful female?

Jealousy transformed Scylla into a 6 headed beast.

Charybdis was once a rock.

But now she was a whirlpool that swallowed everything.

As mythology would have it they first plagued the narrow waters traversed by Odysseus but later they haunted sailors in the Strait of Messina so the legend goes.

While initially referencing dangerous sailing?

The myth eventually took on other connotations.

In the idioms of the English language?

This is where we get our phrase “between a rock and a hard place.”

The idea of this myth is being faced by two equally unpleasant alternatives. The question is how to navigate between the two so you survive.

The metaphor is apropos.

At least when thinking about your love life.

Every day your desire for romantic love?

It is threatened by two equally unpleasant extremes.

As a girl nature has wired you to jealously desire monogamous commitment and as a guy you are wired to be sucked into the whirlpool of endless sex..

Just like Scylla before her?

Monogamous commitment once looked beautiful.

But with all the divorce stats as you clearly see?

She is now a beast that will devour your love.

Seeing this the temptation as a guy is to just follow your nature and become promiscuous. Why try for a real relationship only to be disappointed perpetually?

But Charybdis is unkind too.

She is a merciless task master.

An eternal sucking vortex.

She will destroy your soul as well.

Just like Odysseus in Greek mythology your task in love is to find your way between them. Learn how to enjoy real romantic love without succumbing to the allurement of either extreme.

This is what Romantic Friendships do.

They thread the perpetual relationship needle.

They let you enjoy real love without the baggage.

They guide you safely between these destructive extremes.

How about you? Are you ready to safely navigate these waters or like so many before you will your love be shipwrecked instead?