Concerning the quote two posts ago.
I think part of the reason I like that quote is because I once tried to explain the exact same thing in a completely different way when I was with Emily, and I don’t know if I ever got it to make sense. In visual terms, my explanation was something like this.
Alone, | is a solid, balanced existence. If you’re alone and you’re / or , you’re bound to fall or tip over at any moment. You can’t support yourself. I think it’s important to be able to be | when by yourself (i.e. relationship independant).
/ and people tend to thrive in relationships because they can lean on each other. The problem is that they require that support. Rather than it being a bonus it’s a neccesity. | people have a very difficult time leaning, but I think it’s important that they learn to depend on someone outside themselves in some respects.
Having a relationship that is || is all well and good, but even || does not create as strong a base as /. The / foundation is stronger, both people are showing that they are committed to making it work.
Even here I muddle this explanation, which is exactly why I liked that quote so much. It says very simply what I just botched in a very complicated fashion. People should learn to stand up on their own, but just as important is that they learn to commit.