"A secret admirer will soon send you a sign of affection"

Its funny how when we want something really bad, we see signs everywhere. We look, we analyze, and we suck the possibility out of every circumstance.
I remember before buying a car, I would see my dream car everywhere; on TV, on the road and in my dreams.
When you are newly in love, everything seemingly draws you back to thinking about him; reminding you of his face, his smell, your shared experiences.
Even the most unrelated events seem to point straight to whatever it is that you are looking for.
I remember one time while driving to work I was thinking about a boy. Embarrassed by my thoughts I shook my head to dispel the clouds of thought that covered my mind. When I looked up, I saw a plumbing van next to my car with the same name on it as the boy I was thinking about! Feeling even more sheepish as the light turned green, the van moved and a store with the same boy’s name was just beyond the intersection! What does this mean? Is it true love? Is he “the one”? At that moment, I felt that it was an indication toward the affirmative, but time said quite the opposite.
Even now I struggle to see signs everywhere, even when there is no special name on my mind or in my heart.

Two days ago I unassumedly opened my fortune cookie. I was thinking I would laugh about the fortune with my friends and how it wouldn’t even remotely apply to my life. To my surprise it talked about a secret admirer! My admirer showing me that he cares! Does this mean I have one? Does this mean that I will have some good “matches” online when I get home? Does this mean that one of the possible matches might be “the one”?
I looked around to see if maybe it was all a joke, or someone snickering about how they had pulled one over on me. I also wanted to make sure that no one saw me open my fortune.
My immediate thought was to cherish this piece of paper, to make a keepsake of it, holding on to the fortune as an omen, producing it for whoever-it-is when he does send me that sign of affection. If someone saw me open it, and wanted me to read it aloud, would the magic escape and fortune be lost?
Why is it that we look for signs? Does looking for signs really help bring them about, or ruin the moment, and get my expectations up so high that they can’t really be met?
I am looking for love. I am looking for a soul mate. At the same time though, I am looking for friends, companionship and someone to go to the movies with! I don’t really know what being online these next few months will do, but I can tell you what I do want to do:
1) move slowly… I don’t want to jump into anything too quickly. I don’t want to fall head over heels for someone I don’t know very well.
2) have high standards… I won’t settle or bend on the things that become more important to me as I get older.
3) have fun… While this is serious stuff, I don’t want to take it too seriously. I want to enjoy meeting people and doing new things.
4) get better at dating.. practice makes perfect! I want to be more secure and confident, a better communicator and more trusting.
So here’s to the excitement of new experiences, possible love and seeing signs everywhere!