On the second episode ever of The Cosby Show, Dr. Huxtable describes little Rudy’s discovery of what would become her first pet fish. At the store, in a tank with ten thousand other fish, Rudy picks out Lamont, her choice of the bunch. The fisherman then proceeds to catch the fish, bagging and sealing him appropriately, then attempting to hand the fish to Rudy who replied, “That’s not him.” The fisherman then gives Rudy the net, allowing her to climb a crate to the top of the tank to attempt to catch Lamont herself. She gets there and sticks out the net, never needing to touch the water because Lamont jumped out the water into the net. Thus began the relationship between Lamont and Rudy. Lamont, however, soon passes away and Dr. Huxtable finds himself having to explain the concept of death to his young daughter. But how do you explain death to a little child? It’s like…trying to explain love…to a grown man or woman. It’s just something you experience…you either live it, or you don’t.

The point of me discussing Rudy’s fish find is to explain that I want a fish like Lamont. Rather, a man like Lamont. I want to be able to survey a sea of ten thousand men and singly pick out the one I want. Not only this, but upon my journey to seeking him, he will find his way out of the water and into my net, willingly, because he wants me just as much. It’s hard to find a man like this these days, one who will swim to the top of the roughest waters just to make himself available to what he wants. But more than that, he gives himself to the woman, not just presenting himself to her for the taking.

I had to learn a lesson from Episode #2 of this classic show. Nick At Nite sent me a hidden message: Never go out of your way for the best love in a man; if he is worthy of you, then the man you really deserve will find his way to you and you will love him as much as he can love you. Rudy learned this at less than 5 years old. I’m just now learning it at 21. Maybe I should’ve watched The Cosby Show more as a child. :-/

There are thousands of fish in the sea. I’m done swimming in scum-filled ponds, trying to find something worthy of my attention when I shouldn’t even have been considering settling for a fish beneath my level of magnificence in the first place. So ponds are out. Oceans are too salty. Rivers too narrow and canals too articifial. I’m looking more along the lines of freshwater lakes that will match the purity of the love I have to offer. Rare and hard to come across, but I’m okay with that. Because I deserve freshwater and the best of the fish in it.

No More Settling. Every man I’ve considered has been a “That’s not him” like the fish Rudy was first given who unfortunately didn’t make the cut. From now on, every man I meet is going to get a “That’s not him” or the opposite. I will hopefully meet my “That’s him” soon. But I’m no longer in a rush.

Now all I have to do is wait for someone to jump into my net.