I tried to express my knowledge through metaphorical language to examine my literal growth over time. Here are my two illustrations:
First Illustration: Shaping Mountains
A marital relationship is like a series of mountains. From the moment you begin, you and your partner shape mountains together and try to conquer them. These mountains are the result of the collision of two tectonic plates. In this example, you and your partner can be seen as these two plates.
Various situations may arise in a relationship, one of which is the continuous shaping of a series of mountains. Over the years, these mountains grow higher and higher. It is up to you to invest energy and time in your relationship to shape and develop it in positive ways. As Erich Fromm said, “Marriage is a practice.”
These mountains, in some way, represent both your and your partner’s boundaries or red lines. Mountains take different forms, such as personal, intellectual, and social boundaries. Understanding your partner’s red lines is one way to foster better communication and avoid behaviors that might cause discomfort.
Second Illustration: The Glass-Mirror Nature
Imagine there is a glass-mirror layer between any two people trying to communicate with each other. This layer consists partly of glass and partly of a mirror.
If, in a relationship, you primarily seek to see yourself reflected in the other person, then this layer is mostly made of mirrors. However, if both individuals genuinely strive to understand each other and accept one another as they are, then the layer consists mostly of glass.
An emotional relationship has a glass-mirror nature. Once broken, it is difficult—if not impossible—to restore. Even if you manage to piece it back together, it will not function as it did before; it will be full of fractures and unable to form a complete reflection.
What is your idea? Do they resonate with your experiences?
