Many people keep something around for sentimental reasons. It could be a keepsake from a memorable vacation, albums that remind them of their childhood, or even a piece of cloth with a deep meaning behind it.
For this woman, it was a blanket she has had since she was a little girl. But for some reason, her boyfriend didn’t understand her emotional attachment to it. It got to the point where he seemed embarrassed by it, so much so that he even hid it as they prepared to stay over at his parents' house.
What followed was a quick turn of events that cost him the entire relationship. Worse, his decision to share the story online also backfired badly.
Some people develop an emotional attachment to an object
A woman had a childhood blanket she kept around, which weirded her boyfriend out
The couple had a massive fight about it, urging the woman to not push through with her planned visit to her partner's parents
The value of cherished possessions comes from the stories behind them
The author isn’t alone in failing to see the sentimental value some people place on seemingly insignificant objects. They likely don’t understand that such personal items have stories behind them that matter to their owners.
According to psychology professor Robyn Fivush, this is especially true for keepsakes passed down within the family.
“Cherished possessions are cherished because of the stories they hold: stories of the origins of the object, how the object came into the family’s possession, and how it has passed through the family’s hands,” Fivush explained.
“The younger generations hold onto these cherished possessions because they cherish the stories of who their family was and still is.”
Fivush adds that the cherished objects keep people connected to the stories, and in turn, the stories keep them connected to the people who remind them of the object in their possession.
In that regard, the man didn’t have the right to decide whether the blanket was important. Worse, pretending to throw it out made him seem inconsiderate of her feelings on many levels.
In that moment, he not only disrespected her boundaries but also failed to respect something that mattered to her. Most experts would agree that diminished respect can greatly damage a relationship.
“In a healthy relationship, you’re making space for each other, you’re making space for each other’s emotions, and making space to nurture and cultivate other aspects of each other’s lives,” registered psychotherapist Natacha Wood told the Cleveland Clinic. “It’s also about being aware of your own personal boundaries.”
On the surface, the woman may seem unreasonable for leaving the relationship over a blanket. However, that incident likely made her lose trust in her boyfriend, who didn’t appear to show remorse for what he did. At that point, breaking up would have been the more sensible move.
The man explained the reasoning behind his actions
Most readers, however, deemed him the jerk in the situation
Days later, the woman responded to her ex’s post
After knowing both sides of the story, commenters didn’t hold back with their criticisms of the guy
