Establishing a relationship is much like constructing a building, and it has to be done from the ground up. There is no easy way to make the process move fast, but it might be accelerated by tragedy. People who have gone about it the right way will find that creating a good foundation to their relationship will help keep it steady and whole throughout their life, and they will still have a partner to lean on after decades of being together. Those who take shortcuts or refuse to do the work will find their relationship falling apart like a house with a leaky roof.
Building the foundation begins with dating, and it can be a fun time of exploration. The couple will start to tell each other the basics of their background, and they find out how many things they have in common. This is the time when they lay the cornerstone of their foundation by exchanging knowledge of each other, and honesty will be the glue that holds it all together.
Building on top of the foundation comes when the couple chooses to create their future together in a committed relationship whether or not they get married. Each day they learn how to better live together is part of the flooring they will need to keep their house warm and safe. They will build the exterior walls as they move in with each other, and the roof will come along as they learn how to share a bathroom and kitchen.
It can be fun to build the house of a relationship, but it will still take some work after its basic shape has been formed. The couple might find they have put up too many walls to communicate well, so they will have to tear them down and add beams to support their roof. Maintenance is all part of the building process for homes or relationships.
