To Be Single or Not to Be Single

While it’s nice to have a special someone, do we actually need to have one in order to live a fulfilled life? This same question has been posed by numerous singletons and dissatisfied better halves since the beginning of time. With all of the trouble that our romantic partners give us, is it worth keeping them around? Or would we all be better off alone?

There are some days when even someone in a solid, happy relationship wonders what it would be like to be single again. Your girlfriend/boyfriend/husband/wife/partner/lover has forgotten, once again, to call your cell phone provider about poor call quality. As they are the main name on the account, the company will not talk to you, only your partner. After one dropped call too many, person A gives person B an ultimatum: call the cell phone company or we’re done. The following morning, you are introduced to a gorgeous, bright woman/man/ape. They seem to be the complete opposite of or the former version of your partner. They are totally intrigued by you and you by them. The problem is your partner is standing beside you, non-verbally reminding you that you’re in a monogamous/closed relationship. You have to act disinterested. Despite your partner’s flaws, you love them too much to leave them or cheat on them. It hurts, but you learn to deal. In the end, the good days outweigh the bad.

On particular days, you are so thrilled you have a girlfriend/boyfriend/wife/husband/lover/ partner. While Valentine’s Day could be seen as one of the days, it’s not one that I’m referring to. You are invited to a friend’s birthday party on the only day of the week that you are free. You are tired. Your partner is tired. You just want to relax together. You know that if you tell your friend this excuse, they’ll get offended, and it’ll cause drama. Worse yet, they’ll tell you that what you need is a day with your friends and to come anyway. They don’t mind if you doze off once or twice. What can you do? If you’re in a relationship, you have the ability to get out of countless events. Using a truly sorrowful voice, you can call your friend and explain that, while you want to go to their party and have been looking forward to it all week, your partner is sick, and you can’t leave them alone. Though a lie is a lie and using your partner as an excuse will one day catch up with you, you don’t care. You needed this day off. On days like this, you couldn’t be more in love with your partner and content to be in a relationship.

Being in a relationship is a lot of work. You have to talk when you don’t want to. You have to consider them in your planning. There are times when you need to sacrifice your own happiness for theirs. Some days are longer than others. Yet, to know that you have someone to back you up when you need them, who understands you better than anyone else and who allows you to be who you are is worth all of the work. In a good relationship, you are equals who fiercely protect each other and have the strength to tell the other they’re a jerk when needed. If you are a self-centered person who wants to be pampered and doesn’t want to give back, you shouldn’t be in a relationship. While you may need a partner, they certainly don’t need you.