Relationship or Not: Is This the Right Question?

There comes a time in every person’s life when he or she will start to feel that “feeling.” You know, that “feeling” that causes your stomach to swarm with butterflies, your palms to sweat, and your heart to beat so fast you’re sure it’s going to leap out of your chest. This “feeling,” or most often to referred to as attraction, happens to everyone eventually. It’s an inevitable part of life. But what is the best way to approach this stage when it comes?

Some people chose to be by themselves while others cannot stand the thought of being without a mate. Both options have pros and cons. Let’s look at a few:

Pros of being single:

-Come and go freely
-No commitment
-More dating options
-No unnecessary drama

Cons of being single:

-Loneliness
-Romantic holidays are a bust
-Lack of intimacy
-The dreaded “party for one” outings

Relationships have positives and negatives as well.

Pros of being in a relationship:

-Companionship
-Intimacy
-Possible life-long commitments
-Emotional stimulation

Cons of being in a relationship:

-Accountability
-Boredom/routine
-Incompatible differences
-Possible heartbreaks, i.e., infidelity, break ups, trust issues

So, there is a good and a bad side to both paths in life. But which one is better to take? According to the most recent U.S. Census, 92 million Americans 18 years old and over are unmarried. Fifty-four percent of them are women. The American Community Survey, also published by the U.S. Census Bureau, reported that there are 60.3 million married American couples.

So what is the final verdict? Get into a relationship? Or continue to fly solo? In my opinion, it’s not the relationship classification, or lack thereof, that is most important; it is happiness. A woman can have an abundance of joy in her marriage and a man can be equally as content eating dinner alone. On the other hand, there are just as many miserable singles as there are people who have someone. What it comes down to is being happy, no matter who you are or aren’t with. So I say, chose wisely and be happy in whatever decision you make.