During this event, we discussed romantic love, both generally and specifically at Cornell. It was a very interesting and thought-provoking experience. I am currently in a relationship, but I never really took the time to reflect on my relationship and compare it to other relationships that my peers are in. Personally, after hearing other people talk about their relationships, I felt grateful to be in the relationship I am in. After hearing someone discuss the challenges of a long distance relationship with her boyfriend, I felt very fortunate that my girlfriend goes to Cornell and that I can see her every day.

At the event, we also briefly discussed divorce and how many marriages fail due to infidelity. The rate of divorce is around 50%. Such a conversation prompted me to contemplate the institution of marriage and what it represents in terms of love and a relationship. Marriage in a way represents the ultimate culmination or conclusion to a relationship. Through the act of marriage, a couple sanctifies their relationship and declares to world that their love is one that will last a lifetime. Marriage, in other words, is the highest point on the mountain- it is the final stage of a relationship, and there is no more progression in a relationship past the point of marriage. One could argue that raising a family represents a next step in a relationship, but this is inaccurate as raising a family is a whole different pursuit all together outside of the realm of marriage. Since marriage is the final stage a relationship, oftentimes this can cause problems, as individuals naturally look forward to progression in their relationships. You first like each other and you go on dates. Next, you enter into a relationship and call each other boyfriend or girlfriend. You then eventually love one another and move in together. You get engaged, and then you get married. This potential for further forward progression in your relationship introduces excitement into a relationship. But when the question of “what’s gonna happen next?” dominates a relationship, this can lead to infidelity. Couples crave this excitement of what will happen next in their relationship, so when they make it to marriage- the final stage of their relationship- there is no more excitement, so they will cheat on their partners, as these small side relationships, as trivial and meaningless as they are, fulfill their need for excitement. The remedy to this is that couples in a relationship appreciate the love they have and do not let the excitement of the progression of their relationship (or lack thereof it in marriage) detract from their relationship.