The "Victoria" Theory

Victoria: So the thing that always screws it up is the next day. Right? So why don't we just cut that part out. 

Ted: What are you saying?

Victoria: I'm saying, I'm here. You're here. This is a big romantic wedding. Why don't we just dance and have a great time, and when it's over never see each other again?

Ted: Unless...

Victoria: No unless. No emails, no phone numbers. Not even names. Tonight we will make a memory that will never be tarnished. And then when we're old and gray, we'll look back on this night, and it'll be perfect. 

This conversation is taken from a season one episode of How I Met Your Mother, and is an excellent theory. The problem with this is clearly that you could be missing out on something spectacular. Sure, the odds aren't necessarily in your favor. Even in the show (Spoiler alert) Ted & Victoria eventually date, it ends badly. That perfect first night serves as a prelude to a devastating breakup. 

What is it about relationships, or rather the bitter breakups and heart-wrenching memories that make the happy times be tarnished? Should we be like Victoria, and practice not jumping in? Lately I'm beginning to put stock into this theory. For example, I met a girl while getting tested on in the hospital. We had a nice, long conversation. She lived close, worked in my town. I probably bumped into her 9 million times over the course of my life without even realizing it. I never had the guts to ask her out, and I'm left wording how that would of went. She is the best example of a "What if" girl I can think of. When a girl is making an hours worth of small talk on something that should take ten minutes, well awkwardly saying, "You have very nice looking insides" thats a sign that you should go for it. Whatever, the reason, I didn't. Do I regret it? Yes, and I'll be forever haunted by the fact that it really could have been something great. As much as wanted to do it, it could have been spectacular, or gone down in flames. As Ted would say, "It's the one thing that will always be pure, unadulterated awesome" 

So do we chase our "what ifs" or do we let them stay as beautiful memories?