I will always be striving to learn, experience, and achieve more in this life. I'm assured it will be much more then I ever imagined. I desire to build more loving & deeper relationships with others through this journey. Certain principles in my life's studies, can be brought to bear on all forms of relating, and the process of them can add a profoundly connected even spiritual dimension to any relationship. The best aspects of most spiritual traditions such as christianity, buddhism, hindu & tantra stress learning more about your inner states and cultivating equanimity, compassion and awareness. The cliche' that you can only love another after you've learned to love yourself is truer than we tend to appreciate. Self-love certainly begins with self-knowledge; when I set goals, or meet new friends I try to do it with a clear sense of who and what I want, coupled with a true appreciation of my best qualities, being honest and real about this, certainly makes me a far more appealing person as a whole. And it also helps me to choose wisely, the relationships and experiences I bring into my life. Parity is a prerequisite, and is not to be confused with absolute equality, since it implies equivalence in value between different currencies, rather than mere uniformity. Parity comes not from who does how much housework or who pays the bills, but instead from a real attitude of interest in and appreciation for one another. I've found it common in life in general, and in relating even more so, that the usual is to approach others with a self-serving mindset, a What's in it for me tendency. While I believe this is normal, it truly is self-defeating, it deprives us of the fullness of the experience. Genuine interest not only makes another more willing to open up, it creates the opportunity to enjoy the process of learning about that person as an end in itself. I'm addicted to scuba diving, love to play tennis, golf, racquetball. I'm a great cook and love fine wine.