The Talk

Monday's season premiere of "How I Met Your Mother" focused on the importance of defining your relationship.

That definition usually comes via The Talk, an uncomfortable face-to-face conversation that usually begins, "So, where do you think this relationship is going?"

In many cases, the resolution is a decision to officially call each other "boyfriend" and "girlfriend."

Would you believe I've never had The Talk?

I've always just fallen into my relationships, and gotten to the point where it's like, "OK, I've bought you enough meals. I'd hope you'd consider me your girlfriend."

It's not a fail-safe strategy.

I'll never forget being heartbroken when a guy I'd been seeing for three months spontaneously went out with another girl. So much for a mutual understanding of "serious."

And yes, I've always been a little jealous of those girls whose significant others ask them to enter the realm of "boyfriend and girlfriend" with some grand romantic gesture.

Even among 20-somethings, some "will you be my girlfriend?" gestures rival marriage proposals.

Tell me: Does every successful romantic relationship require The Talk?