One of the most enduring movies in Philippine cinema is One More Chance. And out of its many scenes, one of the most lasting is the one with the three-month rule. According to John Lloyd Cruz’s Popoy, a couple who breaks up must wait three months before they enter another relationship.
Presumably, this is the ideal time for a person to get over his or her partner, and for that person to be ready for a new love.
One More Chance is a great movie. But the concept of the three-month rule is pointless.
By prescribing a rule where you should wait 90 days before being with someone new, it puts pressure for those who haven’t moved on in the recommended timeframe and guilts those who have moved on faster.
The thing is, people process feelings differently. Some take longer than others and it makes sense if they were in a long-term relationship. Imagine being forced to be okay in 90 days after a 10-year relationship crumbles.
On the other side of the coin, there are people like me who are fine within weeks. There’s nothing wrong with that either. For me, I move on faster because I tell myself that it’s over and we tried our best. It helps me when I focus on the good memories and be thankful that he was in my life. I believe that everyone and everything serves a purpose and we must discard them when they’ve fulfilled it #KonMari
Breakups are tough. You should never feel guilty for the length of time it takes you to be okay. The important thing is that you’ve truly moved on and you’re not using your new partner as a rebound.
Justice for Maja Salvador.
