By now I don't think it's much of a secret that I love me a good chick flick. And when it comes to the chick flick genre, I think we can all agree that The Notebook is a staple in any solid collection. Not only are Allie and Noah the cutest things to ever grace this planet, but I would probably give up my first born child if it meant that Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling were going to get back together. While that last part may be a pipe dream, Allie and Noah seemed to fare a bit better on the romantic front. Sometimes it seems kind of weird how that worked out since they came from such different walks of life. But then again, opposites attract! Or do they...
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Okay for this particular couple calling them opposites might be kind of a stretch. But hey, we've seen the straight up opposites attract concept in many a movie before (Sandy and Danny, anyone?). Unfortunately we never get to see how the kiddos in Grease turned out in order to make an accurate critique, so for now Allie and Noah will have to do. Plus, I know I'm not the only one out there who memorized almost every line in this movie, so we all remember learning that "they didn't agree on much. In fact they rarely agreed on anything. They fought all the time and they challenged each other everyday. But in spite of their differences, they had one important thing in common, they were crazy about each other."
And that quote pretty much hits the nail on the head. "They didn't agree on much, but they did have one important thing in common." No two people are exactly alike and relationships can totally work if you disagree on the little things. But you do need to agree on some things. Does it really matter that my boyfriend absolutely hates my taste in television? As near and dear as reality tv is to my heart, I don't really care that he thinks it's the stupidest thing he's ever had the displeasure of sitting through. Although he has been a trooper, (he can actually name all the Kardashians now!) I don't really mind that he runs the other way when he sees me reach for the remote. It's definitely not a deal-breaker for me, but everyone does have their own version of deal-breakers and that's where you'll start to see some problems.
In fact, it's probably a lot more accurate to say that complementary personalities attract. Are you someone who likes to talk a lot? Then you'll probably match really well with someone who prefers to listen. Do you like to plan everything out in advance? Well then you might get along really well with someone who's a little more laid back and lets you take the reigns. I would say Allie and Noah fall more into this category. They may bicker a little bit, but they see eye to eye on the important stuff and that's what matters. It's only when it comes to true opposites that it gets a bit tricky.
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Everyone has some core values that they will probably never budge on. Now I don't like talking in absolutes because there is an exception to every rule, but frankly in order for a relationship to last the couple needs to align on their core values. If we compromise on our central values and attitudes then the chances of the relationship being completely fulfilling are slim to none. If all you've ever wanted in life is to start a family, do you really think you could be with someone who never wants kids? It might work out for a little while, but eventually you'll probably start to feel resentment since your values don't match up.
Now don't get me wrong, compromise is a part of every relationship. Maybe it means you stop eating tuna because your partner can't stand the smell or you rotate whose family you visit on Christmas each year. But you also see compromise when it comes to more stable characteristics. You might decide that you'd be willing to give up X in a partner if it means you can have Y instead. Hugh Hefner and his playmates are a pretty great example for this. So indulge me if you will.
Do you really think the the Playboy girls are looking at Hef thinking he's the hottest thing they've ever seen? Probably not, especially when Ryan Gosling is still out there running around. But, he can provide some pretty awesome resources (and hopefully a good personality) that seem to balance out the overall relationship equation. They're opposites on the outside, but probably not so much on the inside. Hopefully their must-haves in a partner have been completely met and they can have a long (I guess this is a relative term when you marry an 86 year old man??) and happy marriage!
Do you think opposites attract? What couples out there scream opposite to you? Let me know in the comments!
