Are we doomed to repeat?

History. Those who don’t know it are doomed to repeat it. This is true on the large scale and the small one. It is easy to hear this statement and think about politics. It is just as true in relationships.

As we build relationships we develop history. We build trust as the relationships grow. We know which paths to go down and which paths require extra caution and care. But when we forget, we are setting ourselves up for trouble. Arguments that have been had before surface again. Old feelings that we haven’t felt in some time raise their ugly heads. The progress we have made seems small.

How do we remember history? Through stories. Do you remember the time? Oh, yeah…that was when we…We sure have come a long way since then…As we remind each other of the story we have lived together we help each other remember. We share things in common. We continue to build on those things. Together we remember the rough spots and agree not to go back there. By reading the story together (taking time to remember), history can not repeat. Progress is made and kept.

How long has it been since you sat down with your someone special and talked it over?