People will surprise you... you just never know

My bff DL recently relocated to Ft Lauderdale from another state. I am so happy to have him near me and we spend much of our time and lives together. We are companions, going through life together. I helped him find his apartment and I have gotten to see how he transformed a barren space to a cozy, warm home. I do remember his former house being full of curios and momentos from times long past. It invited guests to linger and spend time on one shelf here, one corner there, looking at and hearing stories about the many items he memorialized. But lately, I have seen another side of my friend's home decor and love to tease him about it. I lovingly call his apartment the Ft Lauderdale Erotic Museum.

DL is a quiet, thoughtful man. His gift is being able to digest complex intellectual subjects (often theoretical in nature) and expound upon them to others. He is a sensitive man who feels his emotions in his core. He is so compassionate and gentle in his interactions with people, animals and the earth. That is one reason why I love him.  Sometimes, this author struggles to keep up with what I consider a deep dive into emotional depths that I term touchy feely. I am also versed and able to understand and express my emotions, but I do not like to, to the extent that he does. Luckily, DL is a patient forgiving soul and forgives my impatience (one of my biggest character flaws).

Now, the Goddess gave us this highly sensitive and expressive soul, but she threw in a quirky twist in his makeup. DL, who aches to express and share his emotions is not comfortable expressing nor talking about sex. 

When we tried to court and be a "couple", this led to many misunderstandings and barriers for me. I interpreted his lack of overt sexual interactions as a lack of interest. (Granted, we were long distance, but I was used to romantic interests still engaging sexually across the miles.) And my attempts to bring out sexual flirting and seduction was met with silence/discomfort on his part. In our in-person relating, DL holds his particular sexual traumas (that we all have) central in his body and mind. He is beautifully in touch with his tender side. But his lust is shy and secret.

So, imagine my surprise when I visit his new apartment and see an ever increasing amount of erotic and sensual art and imagery! Actually, some are downright lusty and sexual, lol. His art on walls, table tops and everywhere, consists of sensual depictions of naked women and more explicit sexual imagery of men. This is from the man I cannot even get to talk openly of what type of person turns him on or does he like porn or masturbation. 

But I delight in looking at his erotic displays around his home. They are so much and everywhere that I laugh and refer to his pad as an erotic museum. I tease him that we need to get it listed on the guides for 'sites to visit' in Ft Lauderdale. He has a healthy sense humor and takes it jokingly.

This dichotomy just drives home the fact that you can never really make any kind of assumption about another person. They can, and probably will, always surprise you. And isn't that one of life's delights?