Why Affection Between Old Couples Makes Us Mushy And Hopeful

The internet is flooded with videos of old couples expressing love to each other. These videos romanticise the idea of long-lasting love and relationships - be it waiting outside the airport with flowers, going on dates, kissing each other randomly or kissing the other partner goodbye on the hospital bed. These gestures are truly overwhelming and melt our hearts. But have you thought about the reasons behind this? Why does the romance of old couples excite us when we are still young enough to live it ourselves? 

The affection of old couples is different for various reasons. The most prominent is the idea that older people are not interested in romance. This idea is so internalised that many people find it 'appalling' when old couples express love or indulge in PDA. However, notions around this are changing. People are admiring the PDA of old couples. Not just that, the videos shared on the internet often come with the caption that couples today must aim to end up like romantic old couples. 

Love and Relationships In The Age Of Gen Z

If something needs to be said, it means that the thing is absent or not as much present as required. The increasing fascination for old couples and the overturning of disgust shows that people crave such a kind of love that is committed and long-lasting without losing the spark. 

In today's generation, love and relationships are, to a large extent, devoid of commitment. People are scared to commit to any relationship and resort to undefined bonds that some or the other day beg the question 'Where are we?' Marriage has disillusioned people due to its internal lack of freedom and power play. People are so busy dealing with their own issues that they underestimate themselves to be good enough for a relationship. On the other hand, some people overestimate themselves so much that they are not ready to settle for one. They will date as long as possible, ditching others for minor reasons. 

However, no matter how a person is, deep inside, everyone wants the dedicated relationships that old couples share. If you really want to be one of them, is it possible without putting more effort into your relationships? 

No relationship is clear of mess

Let's get this straight - It is not easy to make a relationship last long. Just like the problems you are dealing with the relationships today, the old couple too dealt with them. The difference is that you quit to avoid the 'mess' but old couples survived through it to save the affection that you crave.

The mess that you are avoiding is a part of every successful relationship. No relationship can be as clean as plain paper. It involves misunderstandings, miscommunication, disbalance, clash of opinions and needs and the consequent arguments. For a relationship to last long, partners have to remind each other of the love, affection and chemistry they share every time there is a fraught. The basis of the relationship should be those three reminders along with the partners' willpower to solve the problems rather than run from them. 

The old couples might seem fascinating. But they did not retain that affection in a day. They lived together for years, solved the 'mess' and repressed the tendency to escape. So, even though they might look affectionate and romantic, the story behind them is tumultuous. If you recognise the beauty of their togetherness, then also understand the hard work and commitment that the picture requires. 

Views expressed are the author's own.