The Right for The Poor Man to Love and Be Loved

The so-called “poor man” should have the right to experience love in his life. He is already poor in possessions and money, so should he be lacking love in his life? He deserves love in his life maybe more than ever, and yes, I am talking about romantic love. He deserves to have someone to love him despite his financial limitations. He deserves to love someone despite financial limitations.

He shouldn’t and mustn’t feel guilty because he loves someone; he shouldn’t and mustn’t feel guilty because he is loved by someone. He might not have money, but he has other things to offer. And isn’t it time for things to change?

Isn’t it the time for women to start thinking about being independent? Why should you expect a man simply because he exists and happens to love you to have the obligation to buy you gifts? to solve things in your life? or to just give you money?

Shouldn’t you be doing those things yourself? Why do you have to ask? Why do you have to put it as a requirement for him to have your love? That isn’t love. That is a transaction and a bad one at that.

I know this isn’t supposed to make me feel like this, but it does. Unfortunately, it does. I wish it didn’t, but I believe that love shouldn’t be a transaction, it doesn’t have to feel like a transaction. I think that the love you share with one another is good enough. It is the only thing that matters. The only thing that should matter.

And if it is a transaction, it should be something already agreed upon, emotionless and with almost no strings attached. It shouldn’t feel like is something forced or uncomfortable, there should be terms that must be agreed upon for it to advance as a transaction so that nobody gets hurt.

In the long run, are the material possessions, the gifts you received or being chased going to be enough? Are they going to be enough to make you feel alive like only love does? I may not be able to give you material possessions, he may not be able to give you material possessions, but what he has to give you is far more everlasting than material possessions or money. Love is the first thing that should matter in a relationship and that is what I must give you. Never mind the expensive presents and whatever financial expectations you carry towards our relationship, which is just noise, love is far more important than all of that, it makes feel alive and that your heart is beating and thumping with the excitement that only love has in store for you and me.

Sure, I can buy you chocolates, which is my duty as your lover. Sure, I can buy you flowers if I can manage to do so. Sure, I can absolutely buy you presents and gifts if I can, but is it fair for you to expect them? Is it fair that I’m expected to give you those things? And is it fair to be rejected simply because I don’t have money to give you or to buy presents, when I have love to give you? Which in and of itself should be enough for our relationship to have a foundation to exist.

Imagine if it was the other way around, would it be fair to you? Think about it. Is love not good enough anymore? Does love mean nothing now? Is my ability to care about someone in the 21st century where we evolved human beings exist not enough? That should be a joke because love should be enough on its own. Love is self-sufficient and it should count for something, at least more than money does in relationships.

 

Chitungue Machai is a Mozambican writer interested in writing about the uncomfortable and difficult parts of being human, and searching for the truth. He has an undeniable desire to tackle these issues with his writing with words that he deems to be true, his truths at least.