Rebound by Z. Allan Ntata

It has a feel good factor comparable almost to that of watching the misfortune of an enemy. After a disastrous relationship that leaves us devastated, we quickly find re-assurance in the new found affection of someone who makes us feel that we are not failures after all, we are not unlovable. The problem was with the other guy!

But at its heart, the concept is a clear affront to love and romance and in spite of its healing ability its practice should be avoided. What is it that makes us seek the affirmation of someone we don’t care much about just to believe once again in our own sense of self-worth? The cause of the high percentage of relationship failures nowadays may very well be seen in the fact that nobody ever takes the time anymore for self-examination after a relationship crashes.

The concept of rebound is not the black box inside of which one might find the information required to assess the cause of this crash and safeguard against future crashes. It is rather tantamount to jumping straight into the cockpit of another plane- broken limbs and all- right after getting off the wreckage on one flight. If romance and love are related and if they are notions that we truly cherish, then “Rebound” in the contemporary sense must be declared love's public enemy number one.