Love is Work - Issue 28 - 25th September 2022
My partner and I just celebrated our two year anniversary last week, so I decided to speak further on love and relationships. Love is an interesting topic when speaking of struggle as we are led to believe by countless movies, TV shows, books and narratives that when you find “the one,” life becomes easy and love becomes paradise. Unfortunately, the most realistic parts of these stories are the parts in the middle, the disruption to the equilibrium, when work must be done to maintain the relationship: an argument ensues, someone moves away, priorities change etc. The act of simply falling in love does not negate you from struggling forward to keep love present. Love is work.
However, this needn’t be depressing. Love needn’t be a chore. If love was easy it would, like everything else, have no meaning. Any activity that does not require struggle or work has little to no meaning and love is no different. The work makes it all worthwhile. So I propose a new definition of love, one that’s realistic but more meaningful than the definitions imposed on us by mainstream narratives. So if you are struggling to decipher what love is or whether or not you are in love, this definition, after some contemplation, will give you an answer if you meditate on it properly.
Love is what makes the struggle worthwhile
If you find yourself struggling through hardships with your partner and it’s debilitating or you find yourself disgusted with how you partner is handling it or if there’s no light at the end of the tunnel, then that love is not worthy of your struggle. Love is the struggle and so you must find a partner who makes that struggle worthwhile. You must also find someone who makes you selfless.
True love is selfless. It’s putting someone else’s needs before you own and actually wanting to do that. This does not mean you must be a pushover, just that you consider your partner significantly and if they do the same, you can move forward valiantly. Although, if one gives significantly more than theother, then there will be chaos. Finally, you must also struggle to be completely honest, otherwise problems that have arisen from dishonesty now will explode later. If you find yourself telling your partner something other than the truth, whatever form that takes, consider why this is but lying for love is definitely not the answer.
Keep On Struggling
Gregor
Restaurant I Finally Went To - Six By Nico
I’ve been meaning to eat here for years and we finally went to celebrate our anniversary. Like the picture suggests, it was a Greek theme. We had the six- course tasting menu with the wine pairings, each course was delicious and thewine complimented them perfectly. The staff were faultless and the whole experience was incredible. That will not be the only the time I eat at Six By Nico and I recommend you do the same.
Find Out More Below.
Bar We Went To - Jackson The Tailor
Before our amazing dinner, we went for a cocktail at Jackson The Tailor on Leith Street, Edinburgh. Once downstairs, the decor has themes of speakeasies and the drinks themselves are the perfect combination of boozy and sweet.
Check Them Out Below.
Another Bar We Went To - Nightcap
We went here post-dinner and after being warmly welcomed in, we enjoyed a few cocktails and pints. The atmosphere was relaxed and the drinks were beautifully made.
Check Them Out Below.
Quote to Ponder
Whenever there is a hard job to be done, I assign it to a lazy man; he is sure to find an easy way of doing it - Walter Chrysler
References
1) Six By Nico Image - Six By Nico
2) Nightcap Image - Behance
3) Jackson The Tailor Image - Tripadvisor