Relationships are Like Kids - They Need Attention
Over the course of a lifetime, we are part of dozens of relationships. Each one is special and needs alot of TLC.
If you stop and think about it, over the course of a lifetime we all find ourselves in dozens of relationships. Looking back, I have been (and, in some case, still am) a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mother, a daughter-in-law, a mothering-law, and ex-wife, a second wife, an employee, a boss, a girlfriend, a patient, a client, a stepmother - and, of course, a friend. And I'm sure I'm overlooking a few. Each of these relationships is different than the next, as if we assume a role with every person we relate to. Every continuing relationship is complicated; I can't think of any ongoing relationship that has not, at least occasionally, been the source of anxiety or mixed emotions. At the same time that we relate to other people, we are relating to ourselves and it is a constant struggle of adjustment, realignment, modification and fine tuning. Sometimes we can go a while (probably not more than a day or so) without having to think about the dynamics of the various relationships we are juggling at any given time; sometimes things on all fronts run smoothly and we can just go with the flow (and thank our lucky starts for those brief and special times). But invariably something crops up and a relationship - and sometimes more than one at a time - needs attention and it's a mistake to ignore it. Relationships that get out of kilter usually don't straighten themselves out by themselves (unfortunately). Ignoring problems is a viable way of dealing with them - people do it all the time - though it's not highly recommended. Chances are it'll change the relationship forever. Coming up, a lifetime of relationships.
