“my very long term relationships”?! i think you and I have a different conception of what long term is…
Long term is like 30 years, not 5.
What makes real long term relationships work isn’t common interests. It’s commitment.
Long term is like 30 years, not 5.
What makes real long term relationships work isn’t common interests. It’s commitment.
Notice, I did not use the phrase "common interests"; my use of "interests" is in the sense of exchange: you get something and I get something in return. Equivalently, this same exchange can be described as an "alignment of values" or "alignment of outlooks" since sharing a value or a lens on the world with someone is a special pleasure and is something you get out of a relationship.
I think two people committing to each other and valuing their commitment certainly qualifies as "alignment of values" contributing to the positive side of the relationship ledger.