Romance is not my thing. I am simply an academic, intellectually driven student who just happens to find the practice and execution of affectionate language and action to be, in the smallest sense possible, quite interesting.
Think about the question posed in the title (either the one in Tagalog or in English). It’s a complex question. No? Yes? I would think so. Well, maybe a little. Every one of us has felt the joys and mishaps of affection. Whether it's a subtle experience (like a silent crush on someone) or a more pronounced one (such as a publicly known relationship with that significant other).
When considering the dynamics of a relationship, consider this imaginative scenario: You had to pick one person to room with for a year. Who would it be in regards to the title question? If I were to consider such a hypothetical situation, I’d think about both individuals in the following senses. In choosing the former (the one who loves me), I would view our time together as a chance for me to get to know this person more, understand her thoughts, and understand why she feels the way she does about me. However, if I choose the latter (the one I love), I would do my best to establish a comfortable, mutually open atmosphere between myself and this girl I love in order for our time together to be a positive one. Actually, I’d try to make it a more than positive one to dispel any awkwardness between us. I would make an effort to slowly show my feelings for this girl, to build up the relationship between us, and after a considerable amount of time, I would tell her how I feel. But, hey, that’s just me.
Now, you would think all this sounds is essentially the average buildup for a loving relationship -- only this situation would take place in a single room. Kind of awkward to begin with, right? Suppose, instead of a room it was an island, or a ship at sea, or maybe an elevator? The improved umbrella question, I believe, would be: iI you were stranded/, isolated or secluded in (insert name of place here), who would you rather be with: someone who loves you, yet you may not feel the same way, or someone you love who may not feel the same way about you?
When considering the people in both situations, you may notice that your own role is the opposite of the other. To put it simply, in one case, you are the person desiring another, whereas in the other case, you are the person of desire. So in essence, you could look at this from another angle: which character would you rather be? The one to desire, or the one to be desired? Regardless of whichever person you would choose, wouldn’t you want that time in isolation, seclusion, or whatever you may call it, to be a positive, hopeful, and dare I say memorable one? A time where you gave your time, your full attention, exclusively to this person, whoever it may be? To know them, to understand them and maybe -- yes, just maybe -- to love them.
Who would you choose?
