Have you ever thought of your relationships with friends, family and significant others as plants?
For just a minute, think about the relationships in your life. Imagine each one as a different plant. Are those plants healthy and thriving or are they withered and dying?
Just like plants, we can't welcome people into our lives and then expect them to take care of themselves. In order to grow, they need water, sunlight and love. You have to be careful too. You can't just put all of your plants in one place in the yard and expect them all to do well. Some need more sun, others require constant attention and still others will drown if you water them too much.
Why do we assume that relationships will take care of themselves? If a plant is trying to grow but there's no one there to take care of it, it will die. Our relationships run the same risk.
I have some friendships that have stood the test of time. I can go for long periods of time without talking to some friends and we can pick up later as though no time has passed. The only reason that works is because the relationship was already cultivated and nurtured. It just needs a little TLC every now and then.
Intimate relationships are different. It will never work if one partner is doing the bulk of the work and the emotionally neglectful. It might last a little while, but that's tedious and one-sided.
How does your relationship garden grow?
