Love and Sacrifice
Last night on the new season of “The Bachelor” the host asked the bachelor Jake, who is a pilot and loves to fly for fun, if he would give up flying if he fell in love with a woman who didn’t like airplanes. Jake said yes, he would choose love over flying if he had to pick one. He had the look of a little boy whose puppy just ran away and he was surely just saying what he thought we wanted to hear, but it brings up an interesting question. Is it really worth it to give up a passion of yours for love?
In my opinion, you should not have to give up your favorite hobby just because your mate doesn’t like it. This of course excludes anything that harms yourself or others, is illegal, or just plain stupid. If you had this passion before you two got together, then your new partner should accept your hobby as part of the deal. Why would you want to be with someone who doesn’t love you just the way you are? If you were to quit this passion of yours, you will just end up resenting your partner.
However, spending too much time on a hobby can strain a relationship. We often spend more time and money on a hobby when we are single, and may need to cut back a little when we enter into a relationship. If you spend all day playing video games (and you’re not a video game producer), you’re probably going to have a tough time holding on to relationships. Make sure you invest enough energy in activities that you and your partner can enjoy together.
