by Adrian Hall

Created on: November 17, 2009   Last Updated: November 18, 2009

Relationships are important to our everyday lives. Whether it's a soft kiss on the cheek or an encouraging conversation, life can be much brighter with a trusting partner. Long-term relationships are definitely better in my opinion than short-term relationships. Building a long-term relationship is like building a warm fire inside of a log cabin on a cold winter day.

First, you must have the wood, which can be considered as the starting point in a long-term relationship. That first conversation, that first date, or that first warm feeling in your heart can be the wood that keeps the fire burning in the relationship. The beginning point in a relationship usually determines whether it will be long-term or short-term. You must keep adding wood to keep the fire going, so the wonderful dates and the electrifying gazing into the eyes must continue to make the relationship last.

Another important element of building a fire is the match. The match ignites the fire and warms its surroundings. That match in a lasting relationship can be the first time you kissed, the first time you made love, or the first time the words "I love you" floated in the air. That spark can turn a long term relationship into a marriage and family. A fire burns because the match is the determining factor whether you want the fire extremely hot or just warm enough to make the atmosphere comfortable.

The most important part of the fire is the fire itself. How long do you want it to last? A fire can be easily exstinguished, just as a relationship. The legendary Rick James and Teena Marie made a classic slow song called "fire and desire." Is the desire there to keep a relationship intact, or is it just a a temporary situation that will fizzle out shortly. The heat stays on in a long-term relationship; that's why they can sustain through the good and bad times.

Having a number of short term relationships I feel is unhealthy, especially if you have children. Different faces in and out of your children's lives can have a negative impact on them in the future. Low self-esteem, neediness, and a whole lot of issues can come into play when numerous short-term relationships take place. The longer the stronger, the shorter the more out of order. Relationships should be forever, and we must be able to distinguish whether we want them to burn forever, or to fizzle out over time.

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