REDSTAR Hangzhou February 2020

/ FEATURES // 广 告 • 特 辑
3. THE CRISIS STAGE – A
STORM IS BREWING
Now just when you start feeling
comfortable with each other and things
are becoming serious, that’s when you
are likely to find the toilet seat up one too
many times and just lose it. At this moment
of the relationship, small imperfections
become much more visible and some
may seem simply intolerable. Now, the
things you thought you loved about your
partner begin to bother you or seem
less appealing. This is where you decide
whether you love the other person enough
to accept who they are completely.
Most couples will go through this stage,
and sadly, many of them will eventually
break up during it. Be honest and ask
yourself: are you willing to make this
work, or not? The crisis stage is where the
mettle of your relationship will be tested.
4. THE GROWING STAGE –
THE CLOUDS CLEAR AWAY
Congratulations! You’ve gotten over
your first real dark patch together! That
means that you have overcome your
own unrealistic expectations and built
a more stable relationship—at least on
a few issues. Now, someone cooks and
the other does the dishes. And that’s
what a relationship is, teamwork.
This period can also be a bit tricky. Don’t
stop going the extra mile to make your lover
feel special. You don’t need to be changing
everything about yourself; that’s not healthy
either. But it’s essential to remind each other
that you are together because you care
about each other. Otherwise, you would
just be friends and not in a relationship. Just
always remember you need to keep the
passion up and not just wait for it to die out!
5. THE COMMITTED STAGE
– LOVE BLOSSOMS
You REALLY choose to be together.
You’ve already passed through dozens
of hard moments, and you are sure this
is the partner you want to choose. The
committed stage is all about consciously
deciding that this person is the one you
want to be with no matter what. This
period can be quirky, curious, and exciting
too because it’s a bit like the attraction
stage. The flowers of true love have finally
bloomed. You don’t just think you’ve found
your life partner—you know it! There is
a deep connection between you both,
and this connection defines your shared
purpose and keeps you both working
together to fulfil and encourage each other.
But don’t get me wrong, the process
doesn’t end here. Even if the flower has
bloomed, you need to water and take
care of it every day to keep it vibrant and
alive. Your work together is never really
done. Love is a bed of flowers that needs
constant tending, and it’s worth it to
have someone in the garden with you.
34 redstarhangzhou.com