Marbaniang, Domenic

Inter-personal relationship is something akin to building a house.  It is not a readymade house that can be bought; it has to be built over time. The most intimate form of inter-personal relationship is the family. Therefore, a family is also known as a house. And, the Church is called the House of God, or the Household of God, in the same sense. The first most important thing in a relationship is the foundation. The strength of the foundation determines the strength of the house. A house without real foundation is as weak as a castle built on air. There are many unreal materials that people use as foundation for their relationships. Some of them are physical beauty, academic excellence, wealth, skill, status, or any such impermanent things. Feelings and attitudes are subjective experiences that are not foundation materials at any case. Much of these unrealities are matters of mere assumption and imagination. It is like a fan who is enamored by a celebrity, but on drawing near is ...