The Price of Love

As the calendar turns, many have hope for new love in the coming year. Love can be an elixir to life’s big problem: loneliness, but it also fills people with rejuvenating energy and confidence

Yet beneath the glow of positivity, one truth is often overlooked: love has a price. In the heterosexual world, a man will pay for his love one way or another. Be it through time, through compromise, or his own liberation. So the cost is not always financial, but it is still an investment that carries risk.

With this in mind, it is easy to see the attraction of being alone. There is a lot of positives to being unencumbered and being able to do what you want without any expectation. Alone, a man learns to generate his own energy; by living in peace, he can strive for clarity that is often clouded with another person’s involvement.

Still, we are human, and we do need connection. Herein we find a paradox; love drains, yet at the same time, it replenishes our spirits. When someone is in love, they walk taller, speak clearer, and are more ambitious. But when love is in downtime, the same man may find himself diminished, muddling his words, and feel trapped in a box.

So as the new year dawns, we must be looking for balance rather than soul enwrapping love. Connection is good, yet solitude has its merits as well.

Therefore, every kiss does carry a price, and we must be aware of its toll not just on our wallets but on our spirits as well. With this in mind, love is the most expensive pursuit of all, but when it is good, it pays dividends in energy and confidence that no other investment can match.

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This post was previously published on medium.com.