Since I have to pick...

Posted by: Lindley Arthur

Topic: What three things do you think are vital to an amazing relationship?

This question has kept me up at night. Choosing just three things that are important to a great relationship is tough – as Sherry said, there are so many components, and it depends on the person. But after much tossing and turning, I’ve come up with a list that I think applies to everyone:

• Respect. It’s a great foundation and a pretty simple concept – treat your partner the way you want to be treated. It encompasses so many other important relationship qualities. It means you listen to your partner, compromise, and are smart enough to know when to keep your mouth shut.

• Feeling like you can be your self. We’ve all been in relationships where we censored what we said, and agreed when we disagreed. I had a relationship like this in college. Looking back on it, the guy had no idea who I was. I met Stroud a few months later, and it was so refreshing to be myself from the moment we met. The truly great relationships are the ones where being your self comes naturally.

• Forgiveness. Let’s face it – you’re going to make mistakes. And so is your partner. This means if you’re going to have a healthy relationship, you must find a way to forgive.

The real challenge is not the forgiving. It’s the forgetting. You can’t hold a grudge, and must make a conscience effort to “let it go.” This means not using last month’s offense as ammunition during your next argument.

It’s a complex skill that is primarily rooted in personal faith. By studying your faith, you can learn the steps to make it happen. Once you get the hang of it, it will make your relationship stronger, and you can finally let go of that anger.

Comments

[Matt]

Here is 3 things i can think of right now.
1-Very often we go along in a relationship and as time goes on we start to take the other person for granted a little bit. We don’t thank them as much, and sometimes we don’t do nice things in return for them quite as much.
2-A second thought to me is to do what the other person will appreciate. This is another great common sense thought that’s all too easy to overlook.
3-And a thought that comes to mind that often goes forgotten is respect. Of course, you respect your boyfriend or girlfriend, but does it always show? This is part of taking them for granted but goes beyond not thanking them or returning loving gestures.
Sorry if this is long,but thought i would post.