We all get into relationships. However, at one point in life, we tend to have different interests driven by our egos.

A relationship can be compared to soil placed into one’s palm. When held securely and cautiously, it will stick but when held loosely and carelessly with an open palm, it will pass through the fingers and disappear.

Before entering into a relationship, first ask yourself what you are looking for, and whether you are ready for whatever comes your way.

And if you are not ready for a life-time commitment but just pleasure, you should inform your partner from the onset.

Experts say that a relationship is a journey whose destination is not fixed. Knowing what you are looking for will help you as the trials of that relationship set in.

Jean-Luc Uzamukunda, who married his long-term girlfriend Claudine Uwase, last month, says people should be aware with the fact that in relationships, there are ups and downs. But the lower part does not necessary mean that one has failed to cope with it.

Take time to think about what you want and what you think will make you and your partner happy. Whilst the answers are never obvious and we must all be prepared to let our hopes change and grow, a little thought could go a long way in helping you find that successful relationship.

Recently, my friend, Sylvia Umutesi, (not real name) told me that she was planning to dump her boyfriend....Reason?...that he had failed to marry her after assuring her that they would date for only one year and then get married.

Three years on, he offers no inkling to honour his promise. He claims he has not yet landed a well paying job and needs some more time.

Probably, if Umutesi knew about her man’s plans earlier, she would have made a decision to either end the relationship, or bear with the situation.

However, such experiences are common in relationships and many people have been hurt by their partner’s failure to fulfill their promises. So beware when entering into a relationship and get someone on the same page.

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