Ghosts of Boyfriends Past

I was not gonna miss a chance to title my blog with this (and for those of you who haven't watched the movie, "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past," I would highly recommend you do it if you're looking for some light, witty comedy). 

When you're in an MBA college, you tend to see a lot of breakups around you (don't discount yours!). This got me discussing breakups and post-breakup rituals with my friends. One of my good friends suggested that if I have to go through a breakup, I'll hand my phone to my girlfriend (or ex - whatever the moment calls for) and ask her to delete all our photos and chats, so that we know that it's for real and it's time to move on. And I just couldn't disagree more. But then again, there could be different perspectives here.

I don't think it's fair for either of the parties to delete every trace of what they had because even if it was for a short time, you loved each other and shared some amazing and happy moments together. I love how you can document a moment in pictures - the moments that bring back the emotions you were feeling at the time. These pictures help you relive those feelings for a fleeting second. It makes you feel alive again for a moment, and isn't that really cool? Now what if the relationship ended on a bitter note? I can't even imagine how tough it would be to possess anything linked to that bitterness, and I'm sorry if things ended badly for you. I wish you could remember all the good times, and I really hope you find all the love and peace in the world because you deserve every bit of it!! 

Lately, I've also realised that relationships teach you so much. They say that we are the sum of all the people around us, and don't our partners become integral parts of our lives during our relationships? And doesn't that mean you're bound to take over some of their habits and ideologies? Reflecting on my past relationships, I always sought someone patient and calm, mostly because I can be a tornado of emotions at times. But I've come to wonder that even though I'm a work in progress, I ended up developing some of that patience myself. Don't get me wrong - I'll still get cranky if I'm hungry and I'll still call out my guy friends if they try to test my feminine nerves with baseless sexist comments. Despite that, there's improvement. This was just one thing, but I'd like to take a moment to list down (yes, I love making lists) all the other things that my past boyfriends have taught me and that I carry with me from those relationships:

• It is okay to ask for help when you need it. Sometimes, the answer is not being brave but being strong enough to realise that you need help and to ask for it.
• When you're ill at peace, just go home. People at home can be challenging to be with at times, but they're still your family.
• You don't give up on the people you love; most importantly, you don't give up on family.
• Don't take life too seriously all the time.
• It's so interesting that hands just fit in perfectly together when you're with someone.
• You don't really have to worry about taking responsibility for your partner. You just have to stay by their side and love them.
• Scooty rides can be a stress-buster after a hectic day at work.
• Your health (both physical and mental) should always be a priority, even before your career.

So, even though those relationships ended, these ghosts of boyfriends past will always stay with me, and I'm grateful for all the happy moments and wild experiences. Not all ghosts are scary, then ;)