What’s up with throw pillows? Why do they evoke such diabolically opposed emotions in people? It’s love or hate. They are used in excessive abundance or boycotted altogether. Arranged in a ritualistic manner or avoided like the plague. Why does such a passive, benign item evoke such a dichotomy of emotions? What meaning do these emotion provoking clouds of softness hold for the individuals who interact with them? What irritations do they cause that make others avoid them at all costs?
Why do throw pillows cause such emotional controversy?
To answer this question, I decided to make a list of throw pillow pros and cons. And to do that I needed an impartial list of throw pillow characteristics. To help me create this important criterion, I turned to my friend Google, who knows everything or, so I am told, and asked it to provide me with a list.
I quickly realized I am 100% throw pillow ignorant.
As it turns out the throw pillow issue is much deeper than I ever suspected. Google had come up with 1.36 million results in .51 seconds. The discussions I saw covered:
- Function, purpose, uses and meanings
- Size, fabric, cost, filling, shape
- Why is it called a “throw” pillow?
- Difference between throw pillow, cushions, and shams (European vs custom)
- Pillow buying guides
- Are they necessary?
- Evidence your home needs throw pillows
- How many should you have on your bed? How many should you sleep with?
- How to select and arrange them and where to put them at night
- How to make them
- How many are too many?
And this was just page one.
As I read through this multitude of compelling information about throw pillows, I suddenly understood how deeply I had underrated their importance. And I wonder, as people are getting involved with each other, are they taking the time necessary to have the important discussion around throw pillows?
How two people manage their throw pillows emotions, as they travel together in life, is critical to their success. Because when two different types of throw pillow people decide their need or want to live together is greater than their love or hatred of throw pillows, a struggle will ensue that will endure until one of them either moves out or dies.
Unless they learn how to compromise their throw pillow emotions.
The importance is not in how you personally feel about them or how your partner feels about them…it is how you manage to blend your feelings about them to live compatibly with each other and your throw pillows. Remember, throw pillows are soft, cozy cushions of comfort. Always there just waiting for you to lean on them when you need too. Learning to navigate your way through your throw pillow emotions may equip you with the skills needed to ensure your relationship will last a long time.
However, not as long as the throw pillows.