The Importance of Love

For a while now I have been thinking about the dynamics of today’s society and their impacts on social relationships. We move away from home at the age of eighteen, often far away. We strive to obtain demanding jobs and work long hours to impress our bosses. We have so little time to socialize that many of us now meet our partners or spouses on dating apps and websites.

We are increasingly socially isolated. And this in turn puts a lopsided weight on the value of romantic partnerships. Since, without parents, siblings, and close friends nearby, the love relationship is the central emotional relationship in most people’s lives.

I feel that there are two solutions to this imbalance. One is to recognize the importance of emotional dependence on family and friends and to prioritize this over career or financial success. The other is to acknowledge the extreme significance of choosing and cultivating a healthy and strong relationship with a partner.

So, to tackle this issue, I have begun to pour consistent time and energy into strengthening the relationships with the people I care about, especially my family. That’s why I didn’t post anything last Friday. I was in West Virginia with all of my cousins. It’s also something I want to keep in mind when applying for jobs after college. I would like to be close enough to have dinner with my parents or siblings on some weekends.

I also listened to the audiobook Hold Me Tight by Dr. Sue Johnson, which is about couple therapy and building strong emotional bonds with a romantic partner. This may seem a little strange, since I’m only 21 and not even in a relationship or anything. But, I also think it’s a little strange that so many people just dive head-first into what could be the most important relationship throughout the rest of their lives and blindly try to figure it out as they go along. The book also offered some really interesting insights on the psychology of emotional attachment in adults and the positive effects of supportive and open love pairs. I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in the psychology of love and relationships.

To wrap this up, I guess I would just like to acknowledge the significance that all of my close friends have in my life. I don’t know where life will take us after college, but I will do my best to continue to support you through it all.