Love for Marriage and Love for Convenience

“I can sacrifice myself for my daughter but probably not for my wife.” This was what my college professor said the other day jokingly. He was obviously highlighting the fact that he loves his daughter very much, though, to me, it was an instant shock. I always believed that marital love is eternal and perfect. Doesn’t a marriage start by promising eternal love? Isn’t it even considered as a sin if you break the vow? I have come to think recently that my view on marriage is just an idealised imagination. I always refused to face reality. Looking at our society very carefully, it seems that not all marriage partners share a strong passionate bonding of love, especially those who have grown old together. To be even precise, I cannot even see that bond through my parents. They do not love each other anymore. They mourn, they continuously argue every time they face, and they come to me, individually, and ask me if they should get separated. Because of this background, I am, and will be very cautious about choosing a person to date and to get married. I am quite interested in the topic of love, marriage, choices we make, and expectations when it comes to marriage. There is nothing better than a perfect loving and caring relationship than just a connection, but in modern society, and in reality, haven’t we created a false impression of what marriage is supposed to be?

I am not saying that romantic love does not exist. I am sure that my parents and my professor felt love attraction towards a partner. A strong one. Romantic love does exist as most of us have experienced a feeling of passion at some point in our lives, including myself. Typically, romantic love gives a sign of blushing cheeks, dizziness, and thought that world spins for me and for my love. In my interpretation, romantic love is an exaggerated or decorated expression of love which refers to a feeling of excitement associated with love. It is defined as attachment, fascination, or enthusiasm. When it comes