Adulthood! I don’t know about you but when I was around 10, 11 years old, I’d always look forward to being an adult. Something about being bigger and older was just intriguing yet at the same time, cool. But, come to think of it again a couple of years onwards, it isn’t so “cool” after all. The freedom you once had, the privilege to have everything planned and provided for you without you really having to lift a finger are things that don’t come with living life as an adult. So, all things considered, adulthood isn’t the most wonderful thing after all.
Aside from all that, adulthood comes at you with all different needs. However, in this article, we are going to be focusing on just one: the need for intimacy within our relationships.
During our psychosocial growth, there comes a point in the maturing stage where we will seek and need intimacy from relationships. However, before going more in-depth, we must come to know what intimacy is. Intimacy is a close relationship characterized by familiarity, honesty, and love. It can come from a romantic relationship but also, platonic relationships can also help provide that sense of intimacy.
But we ought to ask the question: Why is intimacy so important? Well, the answer to that would be that we are social beings that thrive on close personal relationships with others. We are meant to live this life together with people. Life isn’t going to get any easier as you get older but it is the complete opposite. Because of that, it’s better to walk through life together with others than face all the trials and obstacles that life throws at you alone.
Adding onto that, some of us might pose questions such as: Is there anybody who loves me? Or Am I going to be alone for the rest of my life? The answer to that would be a resounding yes. There are people who love you and you will continue to find more of those people as you walk further down the line.
You might be wondering “how am I meant to find out whether I am an intimate person or not?” To help with that, there is a table below which showcases the differences between those who are intimate and those who choose to isolate themselves.
With all that being said, know that intimacy is accessible to us all. It’s only a matter of if you are willing to commit and trust. It sure will be harder on some than others to do such things but always choose to be content with where you are in your journey. If you are at a point where you are not ready, be it a relationship or getting intimate, then remember that it is okay! But, don’t close yourselves up too much to the point where you isolate yourself from others and not enable yourself to experience one of life’s greatest gifts: intimacy.
Side note: Comment down below your results from your self-reflection to the table above!
Translated by Benayah Sitorus
