Love Vs. Relationships

To fall in love is easy, all too easy.

There are many people in this world to whom we can get attracted based on whatever it is that we are looking for in the other person, which can be beauty, personality, character, value system, goals in life, wealth, future earning potential, status, etc., or some combination thereof.

It is also the case that most often love ends up being one-sided, and it needs a bit of luck (good karma?) for the love to be mutual.

When the love is mutual, sooner or later the talk of a steady relationship, be it a live-in or marriage or whatever else, comes to the forefront.

Here is where things get a bit murkier  and tricky.

Great love is not equivalent to a great relationship.

The lovey-dovey feeling is alright for the dopamine and oxytocin hits it gives you.

But a relationship cracks you open, exposing the faults, shortcomings, fears, weaknesses and whatnot in one’s own being. There will be no hiding place left for you. To the extent one can rise up to that challenge and deal with it patiently and maturely, howsoever the ego may get bruised, is what separates successful relationships from unsuccessful ones.

That is how a relationship is a different ball-game from love.