Travel through your past relationships and visit the truth within them. What do you see? Happiness, Sadness, Anger, Bliss, Attraction, Passion, Sex, Stimulation, Support, Ego. If you see any of these, you are not alone. If you see many of these in one relationship, you are not alone. Every past relationship is past for a reason. We are not always sure what that reason is, but believe me if that person was "the one" that person would not be past. Searching for compatible people to share your life with is difficult in forming friendships, but it seems that few people consider that same compatibility must also exist within a relationship. Within a relationship many emotions are experienced. Earlier we reviewed the novelty of a relationship in its formative stages. Although this phase seems to be required, most seem never to make it into the next phase.

Some people are best left as friends without searching out more. We have all had that experience of falling in love with our friend. Not that this is automatically a bad thing. A wonderful relationship can be had with your friend, in fact probably a healthier one, if both are of like mind. But if the object of your desire is not desiring you, then there is little chance for a healthy relationship. So continues the search.

Another experience that seems universal is recycling relationships. Recycling? Yes, recycling, not cans and bottles but ex-s. Case in point: Person A is in the formative stages with Person X. Person A runs into Person C (past relationship guy/girl) by accident of the universe. Person A converses with Person C, nothing spectacular, no fireworks, nothing to write home about. Conversation happens, everyone continues their lives. Person X and Person A have some conflict, perhaps a small communication problem. Person C happens to take Person A's invitation "to call me sometime" and does. Person A and C begin to reminisce, remembering the good times, laughter follows. A feels good about C. They hang out. Here is the crossroad. Person A can make the choice that will determine the future of the relationship with X. Does A get intimate with C? or does A listen to the little voice inside that reminds A of why the relationship failed to begin with? If you were A what would you do?

I don't have an answer for what A does. I believe the reason people recycle, which is what A does if A continues a relationship with C, is because of their inability to detach. Perhaps recycling occurs from fear of being hurt by someone new. Another theory is that recycling occurs because people seek familiarity and/or security from the past. Whatever the reason recycling happens, it happens often. So why does the universe seem to place us in these situations? Is it a test? I believe, yes it most certainly is. When that choice is presented to us it is a clear test of our learning. What did we learn before? Haven't we been here before? Probably yes, but still some are compelled to repeat mistakes. In this case, recycling is bad for your emotional health and does nothing to help any potential relationships that are forming.