In talking to my son and daughter-in-law yesterday, relationships came up. The sayings, "Birds of a feather flock together" and "Opposites attract" came to mind. I've actually pondered these two sayings because they seem to be conflicting with each other. Which is it, "Birds of a feather" or "Opposites"? I used to think it was kind of a joke. You could use whichever one worked for you. So I started paying attention to which phrase went with which kind of relationship.
Here's my conclusion: "Birds of a feather flock together" applies to friendships. These are the people you bowl with, play tennis with, take yoga classes with, jog with - you get the idea. "Opposites attract" applies to romantic relationships. Each person brings something different to the relationship. It makes things more interesting and fun. You learn from each other. It keeps the relationship fresh.
Now, some things do overlap. My husband and I both enjoy traveling together. We enjoy motorcycle riding, walking, being out in the fresh air, our family, and many other activities. But there are certain activities that are mine; he could care less about doing them (going to movies, swimming, reiki). And certain activities are his; I could care less about doing them (golfing, going to the gym, watching documentaries). That's okay and even healthy. Then when we get together after doing our separate activities, we enjoy talking about and listening to each other's experiences.
Love, Paula
