On a recent trip to visit my girlfriend in the Bay Area something that has already dawned on me uncovered itself even more than before.

Women become moody around their periods, because of hormonal changes, women change, and as men we just need to accept it for what it is.

This whole topic of thought was brought about when my girlfriend began crying about the way I had hugged her. Now these sorts of things aren’t completely out of the ordinary for many women but the amount of crying that came along with it was.

Being a man I had no idea what was wrong until I questioned her devastated response. Her answer was that I was not being nice enough, and the bad hug was an indicator.

As with every other male, it has always been aggravating and difficult for me to understand a woman’s strange emotional flare during this time.

I have learned to not attempt to belittle them by asking questions such as, “Can’t you just deal with it?” or “It’s not my fault your body does that, why take it out on me?” For this only furthers their presumptions that men are un-emotional and incompetent when it comes to caring for women.

Come on men, aren’t we dominant enough as it is?

When your favorite sporting game is on, who gets control of the remote? When deciding what to listen to on the radio while driving, whose music is on the most? Who gets pampered the most when the other is sick?

It is time for us to realize that women are merely attempting to create life when their periods occur. If only women could see that those are our only intentions when we wish to engage in certain “activities,” too.

All women do have to admit that they look into things quite deeper than men do however. I can’t blame them though; maybe I wouldn’t be so lost all the time if I looked into things deeper. So it was then that I decided to give her a kiss and a better hug. Afterwards, she was fine and went about the rest of her day.

I realized that I had to see her for what she was going through and has been going through for around 10 years now.

Most women are usually seeking someone they can trust and depend on when they need them. Being so unattached at a time like this is something that they find as an insult.

The whole process often seems so outlandish to men that they choose to just write it off. However, for a common understanding and less verbal wars you have to put yourself in their shoes. Appreciate it for what it is.

According to Wikipedia, an online encyclopedia, Premenstrual Stress Syndrome or PMS is a result of menstruation. The way I understand it, during menstruation the lining of the uterus is shed in order to prepare the body for fertilization. PMS is a symptom of menstruation, which can include abdominal pain, migraine headache, depression and irritability. Now unless a man is a hardcore alcoholic does he see all of those problems at one time.

Think about male hormones fluctuating. I doubt we would be a bundle of joy to be around either. Nearly all men would more than likely need a punching bag in the garage to deal with all of the testosterone flowing at once. Instead, the women have to deal with their estrogen and progesterone fluctuating.

Sometimes their punching bags are punched verbally through the men in their lives.

So my advice to other men who have a significant other is to lie back, smile, agree, be able to take a few insults. It is only a week after all. The other three weeks the women have to put up with our egos. So think about it. And always be firm with a hug.

Contact Blake Ellington at [email protected]