When the Matchmaking Urge Strikes: Tips for Bringing Your Single Friends Together

Remember the days when your best friend would pass you a note that said "John's cute - can you find out if he likes me?" You'd mull over it for a moment, then scrawl another note, tear it carefully from your binder, and pass it to John. If you were lucky, the teacher didn't snatch it up somewhere along the way.

Just as the grown-up world of work is usually much tougher than not getting caught passing notes in biology class, playing matchmaker once your school days are long behind you is usually a bit more complicated.

Yet somehow, some of us just can't seem to resist the urge, especially when we're part of a couple ourselves.

Maybe it's like that old Seinfeld episode, where George really wants Jerry to date his fiance's friend. The cynics say married folk want everyone else to be hitched too, because misery loves company.

But most likely, you actually want your friends to be as happy as you are. You're relieved that your days of awkward first dates, anxiously awaiting phone calls, avoiding jerks in bars or scouring online dating sites are a thing of the past. Love looks and feels good on you, and you want your friends to experience the same happiness.

So, instead of looking at the people you meet as potential dating opportunities for yourself, you start checking them out for your buddies. Your boyfriend's best friend is such a nice guy, and handsome too. Your cousin would love him if she got to know him. That new guy in your IT department at work is a sweetheart. You bet he'd really like the girl who lives next door to you. And not that you're always looking out for number one, but wouldn't it be nice if she had a guy of her own so she'd stop coming over and asking your husband to help with her household repairs?

Whether your reasons are altruistic or you're just trying to get your guy's friend hitched so he stops dragging your mate out to the bars twice a week, the matchmaking bug just might strike.