When was about 15, maybe a bit younger, I was in the laundromat and I over heard this couple talking about relationships... The woman said relationships have three levels. This has always stuck with me because it applies not only to intimate relationships but to our everyday relationships.
When we think about relationships, we don't always think about how they affect us in the long run. We meet people, people meet us.... That's how life happens... But with every person we meet and choose to have a relationship with, there are three levels it can fit into.
Level 1: Everything stays the same. In this level no one grows. Everything is left exactly as it was when you first met. Nothing happens. It's just their. The person who we are in this type of relationship with, can come and go and we would never know it because they didn't have an impact on our life, which is hard to do because everyone in some way affects our life.
Level 2: One person stays on the same level, and the other person doesn't. This level is a bit rough because in this level anything can happen. We see this level in a lot of relationships though. One person grows while the other person stays where they are or one person moves backward in their growth while the other person keeps going. This happens because when one person grows they don't include them in the process. It even happens when they grow backwards. When a person is going through a rough patch they don't always included anyone else in it until it's two late.
Level 3: Both people grow. This is the ideal relationship. This means that both people are moving in one accord. This is a tough one to do because it would have meant that both people were on the same accord at the start of the relationship. Both people have to have the same foundation in order to build upon it so that no one's house is collapsing. So this means getting to know you and your partner before even jumping into a relationship. Same thing at work, why get into a conversation or develop a relationship with a co-worker who doesn't share your beliefs? You don't have to agree on everything, but the important things you should definitely agree on....
My challenge to you today is to evaluate your relationships. Are you a level 1, 2 or 3...... If it's not a level 3, examine why it's like that, and is it worth fixing.....
