TapTalk - Relationships

Here are some additional thoughts based on other questions more related to Christian living in relationships.

Intimacy and Faith in relationships...
"I heard a statistic that people are only truly able to maintain 2-4 close relationships at any given time (including a spouse/significant other) and that those who do are the happiest. Less than 2 and they’re lonely, more than 4 and the intimacy lessens. While that stat surprised me, it also made a lot of sense. This doesn’t mean you only try to have 4 friends, but it does lessen the pressure to be best friends with a dozen different people at any given time. I think God and faith help in that area. If you are open to giving and receiving graces in your relationships, you will find that people play certain roles in your lives and you theirs. By being present to those individuals in your life while you’re with them, you will experience joy and fellowship even if they don’t become or stay your closest friends. I’ve found the people I can share my faith with become the people I can share more intimately with, and that is blessing. I think in romantic relationships faith is even more important. Being able to pray together, talk about what was heard/experienced at Mass, talking about faith issues, etc. are all necessary parts of growing as a Catholic couple. But there has to be openness and an ability to work through spiritual “dry spells” together too."

Do opposites attract...
"I think in some ways yes and some ways no. I think we are attracted to people who have similar values and interests, but who are different enough to still be interesting. I think some couples are complete opposites and able to work together great, but some couples who are total opposites clash too strongly and don’t know how to compromise. I think some of the key components of healthy relationships are 1) communication, 2) willingness to compromise, 3) strong self-confidence/self-esteem, 4) openness to learning and understanding another’s point of view, 5) laughter and pure enjoyment of each other’s company, 6) romance and intimacy and chemistry. I think the physical is as important as the emotional, and I also think that being able to talk about faith even if your approaches to faith/religion are different is extremely important. I think it’s important to compromise but also important to stand up for yourself and not give in too much (or it could breed resentment or loss of self down the line). Know your deal-breakers, and be strong in them. I dated a man I thought I would marry (still think we could someday), but there were certain things that became dealbreakers and no matter how much I loved him I knew it would affect the relationship long-term. So unless those areas are worked on/worked out, they’ll always prevent a long-lasting and fully loving relationship. It is not easy, but in the long run is better for one’s health and spirit."