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a visualization of the lifespan of relationships

Kait 3 days ago

img-2185_1733695705.jpeg

It’s no secret that relationships don’t last forever. I thought this was an interesting visual representation of different types of relationships. The lines show the closeness, or separation, of relationships over the span of our lives. What do you all think about this picture, does this bring up any thoughts or feeling about the relationships on your lives? 

One of the takeaways I have from this is that the only guaranteed relationship you have from your entire life, birth to death, is your relationship with yourself. 

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dukeofdearham 3 days ago

@Kait,

Indeed the only relationship you'll have your whole life is with self.

I think we tend to over analyze relationships with others. Bottom line, a relationship should feel safe. You should be able to be self, to feel comfortable, to be able to grow.

Often we take relationships for granted. True relationship require work, every day. Like each day is a new start. Never take it for granted.

toughTiger6481 3 days ago

@Kait

"One of the takeaways I have from this is that the only guaranteed relationship you have from your entire life, birth to death, is your relationship with yourself. "

This is so true.... no matter the relationship there are moments we can and do drift farther away from where we once were. 



jacek73 20 hours ago

@Kait

I believe that is a very nice and imaginative idea to draw it and compare 👍

However, I am afraid one of the "best players" is missing here: a healthy and close relationship of two people, who make a family, spending their life together, changing and growing. How would it look like?

I believe your drawings about FWB and ONS are showing what they really are 😢 (and any visual comparison of them to "first love" or "dog" might be unfair for the latter).

Obviously, I think you might have also used some generalisation: For example, the siblings' connection is often closer to a "primary school friend", and a connection with a therapist should not, I believe, take our entire life.

3 replies
Kait OP 19 hours ago

@jacek73 Hi Jack, thank you for your thoughts about additional relationships we might visualize and how our experiences might differ from the graphic. I would like to clarify- this is not my graphic, I did not create it, I simply found it online and thought it might be a good jumping point to stir some discussions :) 

That being said, I agree that this graphic definitely makes some generalizations. I think the most interesting part to me is visualizing different types of relationships over a lifetime :) 

Kait OP 9 hours ago

@jacek73

I just realized your name is Jacek, not Jack *facepalm* sorry about the mis-spelling of your name! 

1 reply
jacek73 6 hours ago

@Kait

That's OK - no problem at all - Polish name Jacek comes from old Polish Jacenty (Latin version is Hyacinthus - like a flower) - and I believe is an equivalent of Jack 😊 

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jetm0t0 9 hours ago

@Kait
My dating life seems to be a repeating version of "someone you met at the wrong time" and never get's into the right time. I've had numerous attempts with other people from college who basically gave the impression: I'm not dating because I have to focus on school. I hate to even give credit to the whole "time" concept, I feel like someone keeps stopping my progress because "the planets have to align". That feeling leaves me like crap.

I had friends who would joke about how many times a relationship would "almost" happen, and didn't. For the scenario above about focusing on school, I could agree to respect anyone that wishes that. But I also can see how B.S. that is, I can't think of anyone that would have to put a social aspect in life on hold simply for the entirety of college. So it also sounds like a lame excuse to get out of a situation. Maybe they aren't ready, again I might respect that, but overall I know within myself that I could always make time for that if it were me. Also, I had a good friend recently start a relationship with another student and they don't even blink an eye about time spent on school vs. their relationship. I have no idea when I will actually get a real chance to date anymore.