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Can Companions have Different Locus?

 If two individuals have different loci, can they ever form a good companionship? What if one feels that the locus of life is entertainment and fun, while the other feels that the locus of life is the welfare of the family? One feels that locus is excellence, while the other feels that locus is getting good marks. One feels that locus is achieving the target, while the other feels that locus is following the rules. One feels that the locus is wealth, while the other feels it is social service. One feels that locus is spiritual evolution, while the other feels that locus is materialistic development

The conflict will be visible in almost every conversation and every decision. It is because we are the sum total of our thought processes. Our thought process reflects our understanding of life. I found the following video of Dr Alok Pandey from Sri Aurobindo Ashram to be quite interesting:

https://youtu.be/UtF4OLUptWE?si=Qax7lhKqwU7nnuHf

All of us have quite different views on life. Different people react quite differently to the same event. For example, take a classic case of a grand marriage ceremony. For somebody, it may be an opportunity to have good food. For some, it may be a good opportunity to meet family members. For some, it may be a place to flaunt wealth and power. For some, it may also be just a burdensome social obligation. It will all depend upon the locus of the person. We perceive almost every event in our lives differently depending on our locus of life. The sum of our perceptions shapes our personality. 

I feel that people stay together in relationships when they have the same locus. For example, two friends will gel if both of them have a locus of life around having fun and entertainment. Both will be interested in watching movies together, travelling to different places, organising and attending fun parties, etc. and thus will support each other. On the other hand, two people may also be together despite different loci, but that will just be a compromise. For example, one is interested in finding out the meaning of life, while the other is interested in entertainment. Both make a compromise. The person interested in finding out the meaning of life makes a compromise, spends time with the other person, and engages in time-passing discussion. Similarly, the other person, interested in entertainment, also engages in serious discussion as a compromise. Will this compromise ever result in companionship? I have my doubts.

Generally, this compromise will become increasingly burdensome over time. The eagle flying in the high and a rabbit living in a burrow have no meeting ground. If the eagle carries the rabbit on its back, it will be life-threatening and extremely dreadful for the rabbit. Similarly, if the rabbit likes the eagle and tries to bring it into its burrow, it will kill the eagle. If the eagle and rabbit love each other, they will respect each other for what they are. The eagle can sit for some time near the burrow of the rabbit after its free flight in the sky. The rabbit can also talk about the eagle's flight and learn about its adventures in the sky. However, for that companionship to develop, both have to have the same locus. I have learnt this the hard way in my life. I think every soul is at a different point in its journey. That's why different people get tempted towards different things. Some people in the same society are tempted to commit a crime, while others give their time, money, and energy to charity. There can't be companionship between a selfish person and a kind person. There can't be companionship between a giver and a taker. There can be a compromise, but the "perceived safety" of compromise is always devoid of the "joy of companionship". 

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