Love is blind to blemishes and faults

'Write a Lon' essay contest winning entry

“Love is the delusion that one woman differs from another” - H. L. Mencken

This quote is likely to come across as presenting a very depressing picture of the love that is cherished across cultures. Nevertheless, it does posit a realistic picture of love, which can be applied to women as well. Thanks to Literature, Films and other art forms, most of today’s youth has a highly romanticized view of love. That said, it is also true that being in love is one of the most memorable experiences a person is likely to have.

To love a person is to accommodate and absorb another person’s reality, personality and opinions. It does involve some shedding of ego, but never self-respect. Love has the potential to make or mar a person. The deciding factor is hugely the emotional compatibility of the persons involved.

“Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind”- said one of the literary giants of English Literature, William Shakespeare. Sadly, that is a far cry from today’s reality. We across many people who fall in love with a person for their beauty, wealth, social status etc. This selfish narrow-mindedness goes against the true essence of love.

Such people, I believe, tend to overlook the blemishes and faults of their partners. To them their partner becomes more or less like a commodity, which they can use to show off their apparent superiority over others. They turn a blind eye, a deaf ear and possibly other dysfunctional senses to their lover’s mistakes and follies. In one sense, this could mean that they are not concerned about the lover’s welfare. Constructive criticism is very essential in any healthy relationship, and and a relationship based on love is no exception.

Every nonsensical word the lover utters becomes poetry and every insignificant movement becomes ‘elegance’ to such lovers. This can lead to clouding a person’s judgment due to their tendency to idealize everything their lover does or says. Eventually this will lead to the person deifying their lover and  will become ready to do anything and everything to please them. In this process, a person tends to forget his duty to their parents, the society and the nation- “Love is not blind but it leads to blindness.” ― Auliq Ice.

What is required is genuine love based on the understanding of a person’s true character, which requires effort and time. Love should not have any ulterior motive and the only aim for true lovers should be conjugal felicity. Life can become worthwhile and more meaningful when we share it with a person who understands our ideas and principles and is concerned about mutual welfare. Choosing a partner is a very important decision and it should not be made in a moment of haste or impulsivity. Several factors are to be considered while making this decision but the success of that relationship boils down to the compatibility of the couple. For this reason, it becomes imperative for lovers to be themselves in front of their lovers, instead of claiming to be a different person with different interests and opinions. Ultimately, one has to choose a partner that is most likely to ensure a relationship that is emotionally and intellectually fulfilling.