This part of our web guide covers the many kinds of relationships that occur between people.

The word relationship literally means "the way in which two or more concepts, objects, or people are connected, or the act of being connected." In this context, however, the focus will be on connectedness between people.

Because human beings are relational, we need others in order to thrive. While some people live solitary lives, most don't do well alone.

In the course of the typical human life, we will have several different types of relationships.

Our first relationships are with our families, particularly parents and siblings, although many of us will benefit from extended family relationships, such as grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, and so on. In the healthiest of families, these relationships will continue to be significant throughout our lives. Of course, some family relationships are better than others.

Throughout our lives, friendships are important relationships for most of us, although these relationships may be lifelong or situational. While some of us are still close to our childhood friends, others might have trouble remembering their names a few decades later. Yet, these friendships were probably important to us at the time.

As I grew up in a rural area, my childhood friends were all first cousins. I see one of them whenever I return home for a visit, but I haven't spoken to another of my cousin-friends since the 11th grade because he moved out of state and later moved to Germany. A third cousin with whom I spent a large part of my childhood still lives in my hometown, but when I come across him, it seems that we have very little in common now. Friendships can be like that.

Some people spend their lives seeking the perfect romantic relationship while others, like my son, marry the girl they dated in high school and enjoy a happy marriage relationship. Even when they do not lead to marriage, romantic relationships are an important part of our development as human beings. I think it's fair to say that most of us will remember our first romantic relationships long after they are over.

Romantic relationships may or may not be sexual, and, conversely, sexual relationships are not necessarily romantic.

In a sense, healthy marriage relationships are a combination of romantic, sexual, friendship, and family relationships. Two people who come together in marriage form the nucleus of a new family, extended from our first family that may have consisted of parents and siblings.

There are other relationships, of course, and some of them may overlap, as well.

Work relationships are sometimes significant, and, for most of us, many of these relationships include aspects of a friendship. This is true, perhaps more so today than in the past. Before social media, however close I might have felt to people I worked with, these friendships ended when we changed jobs. Of course, that's not always the case, since actual friendships often develop among colleagues.

Social media has allowed us to more easily remain in contact with former co-workers or others who might otherwise have been forgotten.

Online relationships are often undervalued, judged weird, or dismissed as not being real relationships. However, online relationships can be as legitimate and profound as in-person relationships, particularly for people without many close in-person relationships.

My wife and I first met in a forum that served as the back end of what was then known as the Open Directory Project, or DMOZ. As volunteer meta editors, we knew each other through ODP forum threads for years before we met, and later married, yet we've been married for nearly 25 years. For the past decade, I have operated a senior forum for people fifty years old or older, and relationships between some of our forum members are quite close, while others not so much, but we shouldn't dismiss the importance of online relationships.

Neighbors and acquaintances can be a meaningful part of our lives even though these relationships might not be close enough to be called friendships. Nevertheless, I grew up in a rural area and now live in a small town, and I appreciate knowing something about the people I come across at the restaurant or in the grocery store and being on good terms with them. I knew I was a part of this community when I forgot my wallet once and was told that I could pay the next time I came into the store. Of course, there are obvious benefits to having good neighbors, and this holds true even when they aren't friends.

Church or cultural group relationships can also be important. Having a sense of belonging to a group of like-minded people with whom we feel safe or connected can give us a sense of well-being even when these relationships don't approach the closeness of a friendship.

We connect with one another in multiple ways.

Categories

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Marriage & Weddings

 

 

Feature Article

Having a Relationship Survive the Loss of a Job

Go to school, get a good education and then get a great, safe and secure job.

Growing up across the poor to upper middle -class sections of society, this statement or a version of it can be heard ringing from most homes. During many years of schooling even at the University level, teachers, professors, and administrators reaffirm the same ideas. In both instances, the guardian set over the students is coming from a place of love and protection. They know the struggles which limit the unprepared individual, but without knowing it, many students and children are being set up to fail as adults.

The 2008 financial crisis made one point very evident, depending only on a classic 9-5 as an income source is not a guarantee of success and it can also be unstable. Many who had great and so called secure jobs as executives among other vocations found themselves in a very dark and unfamiliar place with one question to ponder.

How do I overcome this time of struggle and keep my life intact without falling apart and losing my happiness? Not having stability especially financially can cause many persons to utterly collapse from mental exhaustion.

Discovering a Better Path

Having a great lifestyle is the aim for most couples; many even aim for the moniker of “power couple”. If the only aim as a couple is to become richer, a spouse losing their job can create a huge chasm in the relationship. That loss of income and the unsurety that comes with not knowing what is next can fester and develop into the underlying basis for many arguments and unresolved feelings.

To overcome this hurdle and grow the relationship, one thing must be understood- there is a difference between good advice and God driven advice. Taking and applying the wrong piece of help can cause your relationship to experience a nuclear winter when the issue is more of a flat tire type of situation. The first step is admitting to yourself that money is not what brings self-worth. Each step after this is based on having tough but honest conversations; for example, speaking with the Lord can give you time to reflect on past mistakes and prepare for new opportunities. A key factor afterward is to position yourself for new opportunities as they arise.

Dealing with an unsure spouse who is used to a certain level of comfort comes next. Coming from a place of calm and logical honesty now can prevent arguments down the line. Having honest conversations regarding the changing of a lifestyle is of utmost priority. Things such as seeking a smaller/ cheaper house may be in order. If there are two cars, discuss giving up one of them if there is a monthly car note to be considered. Reduce spending on art objects and focus primarily on needs. Since one of you will have more time at home, consider cooking instead of eating out daily.

Author bio: Rana Tarakji is an entrepreneur and a contributing writer at Stylerail, a lifestyle blog as well as Sataco, an electro mechanical company in Lebanon.

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