Preena Shrestha:

Euphoric. That is the word. It strikes me whenever I attempt to describe how it feels to be in love. You find yourself skipping over cracks on the sidewalks; humming long-forgotten tunes while you’re doing something as dreary as ironing your clothes, and sometimes even catch yourself aiming silly, dreamy smiles at your own reflection. And you have the urge to surround yourself with candles. Or maybe that’s just me. Difficult as the road to romance is, its ruggedness adds to exhilaration. But that euphoric state doesn’t come without strings attached.

Relationships are fraught with complications. One minute you were a free person, doing what you wanted when you wanted the way you wanted it to be done. And now, there’s a whole other individual to consider. The opinions, the feelings…as much as we would like to pretend they don’t affect us in the least, the truth is, they’ve gained plenty of priority. There are things you now feel obliged to do, regardless of who lays down these unwritten rules. Calling each other at a certain hour or meeting on certain days — a routine that is confining as it is comforting.

Things that earlier seemed monumental now hold less importance. Yet the smallest details turn out to be the biggest aggravators. You’re suddenly wary of how you behave with your opposite sex buddies, fearful of offending your love interest. You put more thought into the way you look, all for their sake. Really, love transforms you, helps you recognise your limits or lack of them! And makes you aware of how flexible you really are.

I’m not saying that is to slide downhill. Its just that once the initial high of being with someone new, the excitement of getting to know a person more intimately, slowly wears off, this new-found intimacy could easily veer off into dangerous tracks. It could get monotonous, end in stagnation, bind you in commitments or get boring. What does one do in this stage of relationship?

Well, you could give up on it, for one, but that’s not a smart thing to do. How long will you continue to chase these highs? Remember that the transient nature of it makes a relationship all the more interesting. Next thing is to get used to it. So what if your heart doesn’t flutter and your knees don’t go weak anymore? That was fun while it lasted. Appreciate the advantages you’ve acquired, after all that time you spent nurturing the relationship, and focus on what you’ve created together — a foundation, rapport, trust, and love for each other. It doesn’t come around very often.