A few nights ago, I was flipping through the cable channels around 11PM when the program description immediately caught my eye.

It was the Richard Gere-Julia Roberts classic “Pretty Woman”.

For those who haven’t seen it … here’s the 30 second recap. Richard Gere is a rich multi-millionaire. He’s lonely and in a new city. Julia Roberts is a hooker. Since Richard is lonely and jobless, he picks her up at a street corner.

As they reach the huge hotel suite riding in Richard’s limosine, Julia things its another customer and starts to get ready for sex. But Richard has other plans … he wants to talk, he wants companionship, he wants a one-night-stand-women-who-behaves-like-a-girlfriend.

While initially this doesn’t make sense to Julia, she plays along just wanting her money. All the while, she enjoys the luxury of the big suite and gets ready to leave in the morning.

The next morning, Richard asks her to stay for a whole week. He has business for the whole week and he wants her company … pays her whatever she needs.

I won’t spoil the details of the movie for you, it’s definitely worth renting.
But over the course of the week, Richard sees something special about Julia. She’s not really a hooker, she’s a really smart person … trapped in the surroundings and circumstances of this life. He helps her change her physical image, and her mental image. And eventually she decides to leave this profession and move on to complete her schooling.

And Julia sees something amazing hidden inside Richard. She walks him along the path to rediscover himself … to kill the cold, calculating businessman within him … and make him a man who feels, who creates and who loves.

And I thought … that’s such a perfect analogy. An analogy for what a really successful relationship should be. I think that every woman is beautiful & smart … but living far from her potential. Usually circumstances force them to cut their dreams short and live the daily life. And most men get stuck in their day-to-day tasks rather calculatingly.

So, what is the role of the ideal partner?

I think that every person should look for someone … who helps them grow into something great … their real potential. Someone who can show them a new life of excitement, potential and fun … doing more than they do in their current lives.

I think that’s what I’m going to do. Only spend my time with people who help me grow in new areas. Who make me see new sides of myself. Who make me feel good about myself. And I know that’s what’s expected of me in a relationship … just the same.