All In

Someone once said, ~Love is like playing a game of high stakes poker. Either you're given the right cards from the deck or you don't. You clear your hand and then you just wait another round. In the end, the right card will help you win the game.~ In some aspect, when it comes to matters of the heart each one of us have taken or are taking the risky gamble of putting ourselves out there in regards to that certain someone special. For it can most definitely be considered a high stakes situation indeed knowing what all you're putting on the line in order to hopefully experience a worthwhile, lasting relationship. Essentially, you have to for all intents and purposes play smart, have patience, don't tip your hand, and above all else hope have the luck of the draw on your side.

Without a doubt,being able to have a solid poker face is one of the main aspects that measures how great a poker player you are. In other words, not showing any kind of emotion whatsoever so as to not express to your opponent(s) whether you're at an absolute disadvantage or have a tremendous advantage. In a sense, it's that same poker face one puts on regarding a potential relationship and knowing full well the emotional/mental roller coaster being endured inside isn't a reflection of what's been seen pertaining to the proverbial tells given off by one's body language. Hey, every person has been or is quite possibly going through it attempting to remain calm, cool, and collected outside all-the-while completely freaking out on the inside.

If you think about it, in the game of poker there are times where it becomes a psychological battle between two players in the form of a bluff. A bluff is defined as a bet or raise made with a hand which is not thought to be the best hand. In any case, every person has or is currently finding themselves in a verbal/nonverbal bluff situation involving a guy/girl's signals, if any, and to whether or not make the move forward towards the possibility of true happiness. True, it's risky nonetheless to make the move knowing full well you may possibly misinterpret their verbal/nonverbal bluffs causing utter embarrassment on one's part. However, it's what love/true love is all about as you try to read him/her to the point where you end up just going with your gut instinct.

Let me ask you this question to those who watched the movie Maverick starring Mel Gibson, do you remember what he did in order to win the $500,000 prize money? If you answered, take the card that he was given to where he doesn't look at it, feels it, closes his eyes, then tosses it for his opponent to see. It turns out to be the Ace of Spades, which beats out a straight flush to his royal flush. Thinking about it, when it comes to establishing a heart to heart connection you sometimes just have to close your eyes and toss your heart on the table towards him/her and hope for the best. Of course, you may lose everything in the process; but on the other hand you took a big risk, so much so you won something far more valuable, as well as priceless it can be shared together for years to come.

In retrospect, the cards we hold in our hands as we play for the biggest prize of them all...a man/woman's heart. You see, the individual cards are a representation of trust, honor, loyalty, respect, faith, understanding, patience, compassion, contentment, happiness, joy, commitment, etc. Granted, it seems as if it's difficult nowadays to see those particular cards because they've experienced in the past of having some, most, or all of it hidden under a guy/girl's sleeve. A low down dirty cheat if you want to be more specific...but I digress. In the end, to every person living the single life like myself we hope to meet our best friend for life who we will know with 100% surety that when the chips are down we'll be all in.