As a requirement for my course on Psycho-Spiritual Approach on Marital/Premarital Counseling, I asked a couple about their willingness to be my respondent in the compatibility tests. As expected various questions and apprehensions suddenly surfaced. Questions like “what if after answering the questionnaires they (the couple) found out that they are incompatible” or concerns like “this might be the cause of their possible break-up”. I smiled and told them that this might be an opportunity for them to know the real score between them. After all, they might not be the “ideal couple” as they appear to be. Anyway, I finally convinced them to answer the tests. After two days, the couple expressed their gratitude for the questionnaires. It gave them the opportunity to examine themselves more deeply and their value system.
My observation is that it is a common reaction that most people find it uneasy if not scary to look into their selves more profoundly. To venture into uncharted areas of life brings a sense of awkwardness. It’s uncomfortable to discover something in life that one is afraid to deal with. Majority of people seem to content themselves to what they have already seen and discovered at their present state of being. They are afraid to venture outside their comfort zones. Worse, if these comfort zones are unhealthy and act as barriers to progress in all aspects of human development. They can be hindrances to establishing real human relations.
In my own experience, I find it so liberating to know oneself more intimately. I came to realize that there is a vital need to acquaint myself with “myself”. I can see that there is a vast area of information within and these “informations” sometimes come to the surface without my knowing. They usually manifest in my unguarded moments and sudden rush of unconscious responses. It is surprising to know how these vast informations operate even without my conscious consent. Traditional wisdom evokes the metaphor of a journey to describe what life is. This journey starts from womb to tomb, very objective and definite. I guess the longest journey of life is from unconsciousness to real awareness. In my opinion, this journey is indefinite. It could start at any given moment when one is ready or at a ripe stage. Sometimes, this could not happen at all. Sad to say, many may have reached the final stage of their earthly journey but never dared to walk even a few steps in this fascinating journey of awareness. As one travels on this road he/she might discover or encounter some “creepy figure” along the way and this is scary. The way to awareness remains the road less traveled by.
In the case of my respondent couple, I found out that fear to some possible issues of incompatibility was evident initially. But because they took the risk of knowing and overcoming their fears, they discovered that truly there are noticeable differences. According to them, these differences are not barriers to their commitment and love for each other. Both are willing to work out and listen to each other’s concerns. Unexpected cool-offs may occur but at least at some point in their relationship, they have reached a certain of degree of awareness of their selves, value system and ideologies.