Return to Sender: The Dating Series You Didn’t Know You Needed

Dating in your 30s is a spiritual sport—equal parts comedy, chaos, and character development. Let’s talk about it.

Author: Kali Kay

from the pages of the — Dirty30Diaries

Welcome to Return to Sender

—a raw, real, and slightly ridiculous series about the rollercoaster that is dating in your 30s. The stakes are higher, the baggage is heavier, and the dating pool? More like a kiddie pool with a few mystery floaters and a broken filter.

Let's Dig In...

This series is dedicated to the hilarious, horrifying, and occasionally healing experiences I’ve had while trying to date with intention in a generation that seems to have misplaced the manual on what that even means. The lessons are deep, the stories are straight-up cinematic, and if you’ve ever swiped, matched, ghosted, cried, prayed, or rage-deleted your dating apps...

—girl, you’re home.

Join me as I navigate the wilderness of modern romance, trying to find my Boaz in a sea of Broke(az), Lying(az), Cheatin(az), Drunk(az), Cheap(az), Lockedup(az), and Goodfornothin(az). I’m not dating for fun anymore—I’m dating with purpose. That means showing up healed (or healing), honest, and aligned with the woman God is shaping me to be.

But let’s be real:

our generation’s dating mindset is a hot mess. We’ve got ghosting gurus, commitment-phobes, and oversharers who treat first dates like therapy sessions. We glorify chaos, chase vibes over values, and treat relationships like reality TV auditions. Meanwhile, women are out here stealing other women’s men, dragging strangers on “Are We Dating the Same Guy?”, and acting like Love Island is a love language and blueprint for how to “find the one” instead of a cautionary tale.

Dating today is a circus. We still move like we’re in high school—petty, performative, and passive-aggressive—and then wonder why our relationships don’t last. Labels are avoided like taxes, and emotional maturity is apparently optional. It’s giving fifth-grade dance energy, where the guy who asked you to homecoming also asked six other girls and still showed up late.

I’ve dated on a small island, which is basically a small town with better outfits and worse communication. I’ve been catfished, breadcrumbed, emotionally bamboozled, and spiritually tested. I’ve cried into my Ben & Jerry’s, prayed through heartbreak, and learned that healing doesn’t come from a man—it comes from God, growth, and a whole lot of self-reflection. I haven’t always made the best choices, but trust me, I’ve earned every lesson.

As a woman of God in today’s dating world, I’ve had to learn how to balance faith with reality. What does dating with intention look like when the culture celebrates hookups, situationships, and viral toxicity? I’ve had to remind myself that being chosen by a man means nothing if I haven’t first chosen myself—and been chosen by God.

This series isn’t just about the disasters (though there are plenty). It’s about the growth, the mindset shift, and the hilarious chaos that comes with dating while trying to keep your standards high and your heart open. It’s about calling out the mess and choosing character. It’s about dating with purpose—not just for the ring, but for the legacy.

If we want to raise the standard for men, fix marriages, and break generational curses, we have to start with us. That means healing, growing, and dating with clarity, not confusion. As a woman of God, I’m learning to navigate this dating jungle with grace, grit, and a whole lot of prayer—and now, I’m bringing you along for the ride.

So buckle up. It’s about to get messy, hilarious, and maybe even holy.

We’re diving into the perils and pitfalls of dating in your 30s—from the laugh-out-loud moments to the soul-crushing ones. You’ll meet the types, hear the stories, and maybe even see yourself in a few of them. But most importantly, you’ll walk away with a little more clarity, a little more courage, and a whole lot of

“thank God I dodged that one.”

Here’s to dating with intention, loving with wisdom, and never settling for less than what God has for you.

Welcome to Return to Sender.

— Until Next Time, Kali Kay

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