Articles

Opinion: Love & Companionship In A Millennial World

Many scholars and poets have described the power of love and its nature in multiple ways. Psychologists across the globe, too, have studied love and romantic relationships very extensively, and most of their observations point in a similar direction, suggesting that love is an integral part of our lives. While we all have heard and read love stories, how many of us have actually experienced it and are living a life filled with love currently?

Romantic relationships have existed since the existence of human beings, yet everyone has a different definition and outlook towards them. Talking about the Indian context, romantic relationships have often been seen as a synonym for marriage. Over generations, most Indian families believed only in the concept of arranged marriages (that is marriages fixed by families), wherein both the boy and girl were supposed to compromise their needs to fit in the family and align themselves with the family’s traditions, customs, and overall beliefs. Hence, one can say that love was often seen as a compromise. Today’s youth is independent, free-spirited, and seek fulfillment in every aspect of their lives. For a generation that is so driven, traditional relationships built around the roles of a male breadwinner and female caregiver can seem too limiting and stifling.

Today’s single millennials face the pressure of fighting against traditional gender roles and expectations in marriage on one hand and the concept of “casual” relationships on the other. In a world that prides itself on free choices, millennials looking for love; the element of emotional and intellectual compatibility, are often the hardest hit. All these different scenarios have made the definition of love blurred for most youngsters. While they do seek love and companionship, today’s generation seeks a partner of their own choice, someone who matches their opinions, values, and ideologies of life.

Today’s youth is independent, free-spirited, and seeks fulfillment in every aspect of their life, compromising in love is a no-go. For a generation that is so driven, relationships that demand traditional gender roles and expectations can indeed seem daunting. What we all need today is not a relationship where we make compromises and challenge our already existing identity, but a relationship where they see growth, enhancement, love, and security, everything that makes us a better version of ourselves.

Hence, it is high time we learn to redefine love in our lives, set them on our own terms. 

Firstly, let's redefine love. It was originally defined as a strong and lasting affection between two people who are in a happy, passionate, and fulfilling relationship. It is between two people who understand each other’s values, quirks, beliefs, etc., respect each other, and want to know each other better. Belongingness is not only an emotion but also one of the basic needs we all have. Companionship and feeling cared for are a few of the most enriching and fulfilling experiences one can have.

However, in order for this feeling to come naturally, a good idea is to be aware of our desires, personalities as well as expectations from our potential partner. Love is the swiftest, easy, and nourishing when it is with someone with whom our thoughts, beliefs, values, and personality matches. Having someone who understands us and is aligned with our belief system not only makes the relationship smooth but also allows us to not compromise on our needs and opinion.

Love is for everyone and everyone deserves to experience that feeling. Hence, each one of us must take the onus of finding our ideal partner based on what we want, and for that, we can take the help of online dating platforms. Here, perfect partners meet after matching their thoughts, opinions, and beliefs. While our families always think the best for us, one must remember that no one knows us better than ourselves. Thereby, we must choose our own partner and be the architect of our own life, by not compromising on our needs, but by loving someone who loves us for who we are and make us feel safe, desired, and respected.