Photography: Momento Cativo
For some of us, being in a committed relationship is an easy sailing, while for others the struggle to refrain themselves from cheating or having affairs is real. The question at hand is this: "How hard is it to be faithful?" When it comes to long-term relationships or marriages, is it that difficult to stay with one person for the rest of your life? We did a small survey asking this question. Let us share with you the responses of four people of different genders and ages.
"It is very easy to be faithful. It goes back to your commitment – cheating just no longer becomes an option or something to think about. I tell myself I will never stray; I will never stray until the day I die. And if ever I get bored with the relationship, I simply find happiness in other things like spending time with my children or doing my hobbies – anything but finding happiness with someone else." - Woman, 56 years old, married for 37 years.
"It is not very hard for me to be faithful. In fact, for me it is a lot harder to be unfaithful in a relationship. I think about the guilty feeling that I will carry around and to me that is just simply not worth cheating on my wife for. Aside from that, I do not cheat, simply because I don't want to. The guilt acts as a deterrent though." - Man, 27 years old, married for 2 years.
"Yes, it is hard. It depends on the definition of faithful though. I think being faithful is easy, if you are not married, haha! I think, it goes back to how you are as a person, whether or not you are used to being open about anything and everything. It is easy for me to be transparent to my husband when it comes to the opposite sex, because I am used to being open and honest." - Woman, 34 years old, married for 10 years.
"It is easy for me because it comes to be very naturally to be committed when I am in love with my wife. To me, love comes together with commitment; they are not two separate entities. Even before I was with anyone, I was never the type to be easily influenced by anyone or anything. I see that as an important quality to have within yourself that will make it easier for you to stay committed in a marriage." - Man, 30 years old, married for 3 years.
Being faithful does not mean you never feel tempted to cheat or vulnerable to find happiness in another person other than your partner. It simply means, even if you do feel that way, you understand that they are, in no way, signs or motivation for you to actually be disloyal. At the end of the day, we are human beings with flaws and no matter how committed you are, temptations will always be around, it is what you do about it that matters.
