Saying 1: Opposites Attract.Β
Saying 2: Birds of a feather flock together.
I am sure most of us have heard these sayings over and over again while growing up. However, they do convey diametrically opposite meanings. Logically speaking, only one of these sayings can be true, as they negate each other. But love and friendships are rarely about logic. I have found that both of these contradictory statements can be true- with the very same person.
Opposites attract is more a scientific principle than a romantic one – Minh Tan
In my teenage years, I believed in the saying that opposites attract in relationships. This belief was a result of growing up with parents with extremely different personalities and a heavy dose of books & Bollywood movies, where the good girl inevitably falls for the bad guy.
However, if I took a look at some of my closest friends, I realized that more often than not, it is the similarity that got us together and kept us going. And, what is love, if not an extension of friendship?
Over the years, I have come to understand that contradictions exist, and it is not always one or the other. My husband & I have extremely different personalities, but our cultural beliefs, and value systems are very similar. On the whole, while we are more different than we are similar, it is our similarities that we bond over, and our differences make an average day interesting. π
Like they say βThe happiest couples never have the same character. They just have the best understanding of their differencesβ.
I would love to hear from you. Have you experienced anything different? In your relationships, and in friendships, do you feel that you have bonded over your similarities? Or have you been attracted to each other because of your differences?
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Vinay Kumar Satyanarayan
Once upon a time there was someone very similar to me….so many commonalities… It as magical.
My wife and i are poles opposite ….it makes life so much more exciting!
Eloquent Mind
‘Opposites attract’ – this saying fits the best to describe me and my husband. We are poles apart and people even wonder how we ended up together who have varied interests. But in the end, the one thing that puts all questions to rest is this quote. π Friends, on the other hand, I find gel better and go a long way if they have similar interests. It’s funny sometimes how we may end up spending our lives with a person who is our exact opposite but when it comes to friends, we need to be alike. π
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Shanaya Tales
Yeah, no wonder they say that relationships are complicated. π
On a more serious note -while I enjoy the fact that me and my hubby are more different than we are similar, with friends I look for similarities over differences.
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Shailaja
I was saying exactly this to the spouse a couple of days ago, that if we agreed on everything, how boring life would be and if we disagreed on everything, how intolerable life would be. We need a good mix of similarities and differences. It’s what keeps life interesting π
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Shanaya Tales
True that. Very well said. π
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Mithila Menezes @Fabulus1710
Wouldn’t it be great if we could find someone who is similar to us in some ways.. and dissimilar in others?
It would be really fun to have it balanced.. Like similar ways of thinking but different choices of movies and books..
What do you think?
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Shanaya Tales
True, Mithila. There needs to be some differences, else life would be so boring!
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Devika Fernando
Great post, I couldn’t agree more. It’s a mix of both, and the quote you shared at the end perfectly sums it up. π
Shanaya Tales
Thank you so much, Devika. Glad you liked it. π
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Keirthana
This post conveyed exactly my thoughts. I feel the same way with my hubby and was not sure how to put it out in words. You nailed it π
Shanaya Tales
Thank you so much, Keirthana π Yeah, I guess each one of us is complex and unique in our own way, and yet we find similarities to bond over. π
Vinitha
In our case both the sayings are true. We are similar yet different. As you said, the differences make an average day interesting. π Enjoyed reading your thoughts on this, Shantala. π
Shanaya Tales
Yep, that is what we joke about- if we agreed on everything, what will we fight about? Life would be so dull then π
Mee Magnum
I think it’s a combination of things. But, the differences between people, when woven together through love and sometimes compromise, makes for a stronger union. The power of the couple is greater than the sum of the parts.
Shanaya Tales
I agree. Very well said π
Shruti Shenoy
In my opinion, no two persons can be exactly alike. We are all unique. We have our similarities and differences. It is a matter of our choice -what we want to focus on to build our relationship. π
Well written. Keep blogging.
Shanaya Tales
True. Thank you so much π
Shilpa Gupte
Hey Shantala,
Now, this is my first visit to your blog! π
I fully agree with you as I do believe that opposites do attract, but, birds of a feather also flock together! Me and my hubby, or even my closest friends do have our differences, but we are also very much similar in many ways, and that, I believe, makes our relationship all the more interesting. In a way, we complete each other!
You do have a very lucid style of writing, Shantala. Great to have met you!
Shanaya Tales
Thank you so much for visiting. Happy to have met you. π
Pallavi Kothari
Hmm.. Well…they definitely do!!
Santosh Deshmukh
Great Shantala,what I observed in relationship of both is a mix match .it’s tough to say who is better but it’s a good understanding between both to move forward.Sometimes you have to keep your egos back & respect your partner for better life ahead.
Shanaya Tales
Yes, that is very true. A good balance is key. Thank you so much for sharing your point of view. π
Susan Gourley
I think you have it just right. My husband and I are really different personality wise but our core values are the same. It makes us a good team as parents. Glad to you on the A to Z list.
Shanaya Tales
Yes, I do agree. It makes us a good team as parents. π
I am really looking forward to the AtoZ Challenge. I must admit though, that it does make me a little nervous, as it is my first time. But, I guess the excitement compensates for the nerves π
Sid
I agree. I’ve always wondered about the ‘Opposite’s attract’ thing. Yes, it works fine for magnets, but in real life and real relationships, it’s both opposite and some similarities that kind help maintain the balance, I suppose. My wife and I have similar tastes when it comes to food, but couldn’t be more different & diverse when it comes to writing or movies. OR even sports.
A healthy mix of similarities and dis-similarities create a perfect relationship, I guess π
Shanaya Tales
Very true Sid. Food is a big one though π Thank you for stopping by. π