Eye-conic Duo

The debate with "name a more iconic duo than ____ & ____" has been going on for so long, quarantine & lockdown have definitely allowed more thought into any debate. When you read or hear "iconic duo," I'm sure so many pairs come to mind... Timon & Pumbaa, Han Solo & Chewbacca, Phineas & Ferb, Sam & Frodo, a Netflix sub & a comfy bed, I can go on & on; but do we ever stop to think about what makes us think these are iconic duos?

An iconic duo entails a few things, imo... A pair, for one obvious thing, but it also entails so many other layers of traits. A pair can be inseparable but absolutely horrible for one another, I wouldn't consider that an iconic duo. A pair can be revered by all, but have intentions involving under-handing the rest of the world. A pair can say "ride or die" but then say "bad marriage for life" *cough cough* & not consider the overall pain & turmoil. With the rise in normality of internet personalities & the speed of sharing curated experiences & images, I feel like the true meaning of "iconic duo" has been lost to the masses, either through humor or hope for a meaningless debate (especially with the popularity of the this meme on Twitter).

For me, an iconic duo can definitely be separable, but even still they are there for their partner when they need them most; not only are they separable but they are powerful on their own (powerful even if their counterpart didn’t exist). That being said, when these two things come together they are even more powerful than maybe even the sum of their parts… they are more powerful, not just because two powerful things coming together make an even more powerful outcome, but because their union creates balance, a mixture unattainable through a singular existence. They are able to balance each other out in the sense that one part may be quick to anger & the other part is good at conflict diffusion, calming them down. One part may be impulsive, readily risking their safety, yet the other part quickly assesses the situation & can help find the middle ground. It is the perfect balance of emotion & logic, love & understanding, fear & strength. Together a discussion develops, whether subconsciously or verbally, & a conscious decision is born with meaning.

Although, regardless of the balance there is no such thing as a perfect flow of two separate entities; everything in existence has a right in it’s own, so disagreement is inevitable. Understanding is an important aspect of being an iconic duo, being not only open minded but aware of the underlying factors that can cause something or someone to act the way it does, & using that understanding mixed with your own strengths to come to a smooth outcome. Both parts don’t just hear the other, but they listen & react based on what they have learned. Both parts don’t just consistently exist in proximity to the other, but interact in consonance.

When an awareness is achieved & one part knows & understands the signals of the other, there is an indescribable harmony, a beauty in chaos of opposites even. I can definitely say that many iconic duos may have been out of sync with one another to begin with; there is no shame in learning how.

With all these aspects taken into consideration, there is one duo that comes to mind (after learning filled with love & understanding with determined movements) other than the mind & body… Yes, name a more iconic duo than the mind & body, I’ll wait.

If you need a little bit more of an explanation, the mind & body are a pair that appear to be psychically connected, I think we take the connection for granted. Many people have a disconnection of the mind & body, due to a disability, dysphoria, or mental illness. Regardless of the reason, the harmony of these two things is not only crucial to existence, but maybe even one of the hardest to attain. There are so many times I know my body is disliking or scared of some aspect & my mind overtakes it to continue on hurting my body or engage in the fear inducing activity. Needless to say, some of these actions have either hurt my body or hurt my mind & yet each time each part has been aware of possible consequences (& failing to listen).

The body functions as it was born to, pumping blood, being the vessel in which we interact with our outer, physical realm, digesting food, etc. Many people associate the mind & body interaction with the idea that the mind is in control.

The mind controls the neurotic signals of the body, but the mind can feel unmotivated if the body is tired, hungry, hot or cold. Of course there are people who are more tolerant to certain body fluctuations, but you can’t deny it’s the strength & willpower of their mind telling their body “no!”

Being someone who suffers from various physical & mental issues, I understand that “I don’t feel good” stems into so many other aspects, I mean “hangry” wouldn’t exist if people weren’t being volatile & rude to others purely because their body wasn’t fed.

Anyways, the whole “iconic duo” meme tends to try to pit different duos against one another for debate, but the mind & body is an iconic duo everyone can take part in. (Not to ignore the soul, but that’s definitely a discussion for a different occasion).

Name a more iconic duo than the mind & body, I'll wait!!!