Diamonds & Pearls

To Love And Be Loved That's All There Is

“Diamonds & Pearls” from the album Diamonds & Pearls (1991)

“Am I the weaker man
Because I understand
That love must be the master plan”

In any relationship that involves humans there will eventually be conflict. Whether it be a friend, family member or loved one disagreements happen; therefore learning healthy ways to resolve them. Compromise is a tried and true method of handling conflict. Most people think that when you compromise that is a sign of weakness (that could explain the lack of it in Congress these days). Prince touches on the heart of settling disputes in a positive way when he signs “Am I the weaker man,
Because I understand, That love must be the master plan.” When discord arrives love must be at the foreground of our minds not “winning” the argument. It takes a weak person to give into pride and try to get the other person to see how wrong they were. It takes a strong person to understand that love keeps no records of wrongs. If you aren't keeping records of wrongs than you don't have to show the person how wrong they are.

That's not to say that you don't stand up for yourself, instead when you do do it from a place of love. If you are having a disagreement with a person and your goal is to get them to see things the way you want them too, discord will be your reward. However, if you are seeking to understand where they are coming from and solutions to the problem at hand, love will be your reward. By developing a history of compromise the message we communicate is, darling, please sacrifice something for me so that I know that you love me, and in return I will stop considering you as the major compromise of my life (Ben-Zeev, 2010). Then together you both set up precedents that encourage compromise and collaboration to create solutions together instead of winning arguments. Or as Prince says in this song, “I am here for u
Love is meant for two, Now tell me what u're gonna do?” If the other person knows that you are a positive influence in their life (I am here for you) then they will want to work on the relationship (love is meant for two) and the only way to make relationships work is through compromise. So tell me what are you gonna do?

Reference

Ben-Zeev, A. (2010, September 24). Does Love Involve Sacrifice or Compromise? Retrieved May 19, 2015, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/in-the-name-love/201009/does-love-involve-sacrifice-or-compromise.