“If you’re thirsty, you’re already dehydrated.”

Who’s heard this before? Now, who’s heard that this is apparently a myth?

I don’t know that I’d completely discount the above statement, since those same myth-busters claim that its converse is, in fact, true: if you’re not thirsty, you’re therefore getting enough water in some form or another.

Can’t we simply split the difference? Logic says that we should be able to and, in the process, we can lose the drama of “dehydration.”

But the fact of the matter is that telling someone they’re not getting enough water if they’re thirsty is just plain boring. It’s anticlimactic. It sort of leaves you in that, “Wow…no kidding?” state of mind, so I’m sure that’s why “dehydration” came into the picture.

After all, nobody says, “If you’re hungry, you’re already in the process of starving to death.”

Nobody says, “If you’re on your fifth cup of coffee, you’re well down the road of sleep deprivation.”

Nobody says, “If you’re cold, you’ll have frostbite in no time at all.”

So why do some people say, “If you’re single, you’re on your way to living a life of loneliness”? I realize not everyone feels this way, but it’s interesting that some not only think this, but they vocalize it, too. They assume that since I’m single, I must be thirsty; since I’ve been doing the solo thing for a while, I must be dehydrated.

But what if I wasn’t single yesterday, and yet today I am? Their tune would change, because they would find my singledom less off-putting since it was recent.

What if I’d dealt with someone who had an abusive streak and I’m simply in the process of finding myself and enjoying my me-time now? Yep, their tune would probably change again.

Turning the tables a bit, what if I told the person that all their complaining about their significant other makes me hesitant to go out and snag my own? Once again, more tune-shiftage.

All I know is that in the last year or so, I’ve heard more married or coupled people tell me to stay single. Maybe they’re joking, but there’s truth in everything, yes? Meanwhile, so many single people around me can’t wait to pair off with someone. Why the rush? Sure, some partnerships that have been shoe-horned into a box labeled “couple” end up working out. But other partnerships seem to give the shoe horn the finger and fail miserably.

Some partnerships are a result of convenience. Of age. Of circumstance. Or of apathy. In fact, the latter is one that I’m the most scared of. I would hate to find myself thinking, “Well, it’s not great, but it’s not bad enough to end, either, so I’ll stick it out.” Ugh.

I guess it’s like this with me: I know where the water source is, and maybe I’ll wander over to it sometime. Then again, maybe the water will find me. Maybe I’ll be walking down the street one day, on an otherwise sun-shiny afternoon, and a random shower will spring up out of nowhere. Maybe I’ll have an umbrella handy, or maybe I won’t. I suppose it remains to be seen. Whatever happens, I am thankful for knowing that thirst always seems to be quenched in its own time.