The One sided Affair

In the movie Holiday, Kate Winslet mentions that “Most love stories are about people who fall in love with each other, but what about the rest of us? What about our stories? Those of us who love alone. We are the victims of the one-sided affair.” Most of us have been in this Unrequited love at least once at some point in our life. No one talks about the courage it takes to be in this one-sided affair. The courage of loving someone knowing they won’t love us back. It’s a lot of effort too, isn’t it?

Though Shahrukh Khan did mention one sided love as “the most beautiful thing in the world” it always isn’t like that. Psychiatrist Eric Berne states in his book that “ One- sided love is better than none, but like a half a loaf of bread it is likely to grow hard and moldy sooner.” The story of this one-sided affair is often a bit painful, a bit of heartache and lot of hoping and dreaming. This story is of hoping that the other person finds himself and herself in the poems that you sent them but getting a critical review of it instead. This story is of romantic moments and cute fights that only happen in your mind. This story is of s/he loves me or loves me not. The story where you keep looking for signs to know whether they love you or not. When their smallest gestures of care, affection and of giving you affection make your day.

But what happens next? How long does this last? How does this end?

I know going ahead and confessing your feelings need courage but so does staying in this one-sided love. And I know moving on is also painful but again staying here is painful too. And however beautiful this one-sided affair may seem; reciprocation of love is even more amazing. So, the end of this story is your choice. And no matter what you choose, how much time you take, know that it’s okay. Own your one-sided affair, enjoy those dreamy hopeful moments just remember you choose yourself above everything else.

-Abhidnya Girme