aravain
Posts: 1211
Joined: 8/26/2008 Status: offline
|
To me settling has so many different connotations... The most obvious would be accepting (or even pursuing) a partner that you would not be/are not happy with. To me, the equivalent of dating someone I don't find attractive, someone I can't relate to, or someone who's old enough to be my father. It's not something I *ever* want to do. Some may say my standards are high (and insultingly so, too, in the past. Don't understand how they're trying to score points with me by saying 'you don't deserve that' but people are funny things) in this regard, but I'm really not asking for much. I want him to be attractive to me, and I want him to be attracted to me. I want him to be relatively close in age. I want to be able to talk to him, and actually be able to talk on end about nothing important. Essentially if I break any of those, I will consider myself to be settling for the purposes of having a relationship, and I will *not* be happy about it long term. Despite that, though, I would tell the person flat out that I'm settling, too. Chances are if one of the above are not there, then he's just settling as well and we can accept it for what it is, a relationship of convenience, which aren't *always* bad, in my opinion. Another 'tier' of settling (pre-serious relationship, still) would be accepting someone who doesn't meet all of my needs. I can deal with that, and be perfectly happy pursuing any of those needs outside the relationship. I don't mind. This isn't a *bad* type of settling for me... it's just being pragmatic. If the top three things are there, then it's not a big deal (as long as he isn't an insanely monogamous, and 'only I can touch you' type and will not mind me getting needs met elsewhere). The last of settling when picking a partner would be picking a 'piece of work' to fix. This is to be avoided at ALL costs. I understand that not everyone can tell ahead of time (including me) that this is what they're getting into, but that's why I have my friends on the look out! If they sense ANY sort of 'I'm going to fix him!' vibe from me or the potential it's out the door! Beyond that all the connotations of settling are quite benevolent unless *made* otherwise by a partner. Settling into a routine, into being a couple, etc.
|