When it comes to love and relationships, I am not really sure I believe in destiny.
I’m a simple girl.
I think that the reason many relationships last a lifetime is because two people vowed to love one another for all eternity and made a choice keep to keep their relationship on top of their priority list, fight for it and work hard to make it last.
Not because it was written in the stars.
I’m sorry, but happiness is not something that either happens to you because you are lucky enough or doesn’t happen at all. I believe that happiness comes to those who work hard to get it. And love? I am sorry, but I refuse to believe that love happens overnight. Love is a gradual process that requires two people, patience, will and understanding.
Here are 5 essential qualities of a mature and long-lasting relationship:
1.Communication. Do I need to say more? Communication is and will always be the key to a loving and trusting union. You need to feel free to share your emotions with the person you’re with. You need to feel comfortable to simply be who you are in front of them. Your loved one cannot read your mind and you shouldn’t expect them to.
2. Self-love. It is true. The only way to love another person is to first learn to love yourself. You cannot truly find happiness and fulfillment in a relationship if you don’t feel happy on your own. One simply cannot exist without the other. This is the most crucial quality in mature and long-lasting relationships. That is why the journey of self-discovery is a journey we must all experience before we enter a relationship.
3. Growing together as one. And not just physically. But also emotionally and spiritually. This means allowing your souls to connect, your energies to intertwine, and your love to grow. Growing together means creating a world on your own, a world entirely different than the reality outside of it. It means holding hands through the scariest thunderstorms and surviving every obstacle along the way.
4. Vulnerability. Love has no boundaries. Love means revealing your true self, opening up your heart, undressing your soul and surrendering completely. Healthy and loving relationships last a lifetime only because two people agreed to be vulnerable with their emotions and let their guards down. Because there is nothing stronger out there than the love they have for one another.
5. Being able to forgive. Being able to find a way to understand the reason for your partner’s mistakes no matter how unforgivable they are. Being able to put yourself in their shoes. Being able to see things through their perspective. Being mature and brave enough to forgive them for the mistakes they’ve made and turn a blank page. That is what makes a relationship flourish. That is what makes love grow.
