Under construction

Yesterday my friend and I were talking about a row of town homes under construction in our neighborhood. They're nice, high-end homes - in the high $200,000s.

"When do they ever work on them?" she asked.

"I don't know," I answered. The three-story structures have walls, floors, ceilings, stairs and even a couple of bathtubs, but this is how they've sat for weeks. I've jogged by them every morning for the last couple of weeks and have only seen someone working there once.

The other night I was feeling stir crazy in my apartment, so I grabbed my umbrella and took a walk through the drizzling rain. When I went past these town homes, I decided to walk through two of them and imagine what they might look like once finished.

My friend commented about how she wondered if the plywood gets weak after sitting there exposed for so long. I told her about how the rain dripped through the shingleless roof in several places and collected in big puddles on the slab. I think she's right.

This conversation made me think about how similar romantic relationships are. I know a number of people who have dated for years. They wait before moving their relationships along for careers, kids, money, getting to know each other better and a vast number of other explanations. I know this from dating my ex for three years before there was a commitment.

But what happens to the construction of that relationship while it sits exposed? People sometimes get comfortable and take their partner for granted. Insecurities develop and grow. Just like in a building, when these weak spots develop, they may be patched or covered up, but they never go away.

The damage happens while we wait. Wait to commit to one another. Wait to move forward out of that "under construction" stage so there will be protective bricks and shingles and windows that bring two people the safe commitment of being a couple.

Love to the single girls,
Addison