LOVE LESSON 3: Embrace Friendship First: Before jumping into a relationship, get to know the person and become friends. You’ll soon realize that if you can’t be friends, chances are a committed relationship won’t last either.
In the book 10 Bad Choices That Ruin Black Women’s Lives, author Dr. Grace Cornish highlights the fact that love, kindness and respect equal friendship, and that “friendship is especially important for love to last longer.”
LOVE LESSON 4: Give What You Want in Return: Don’t expect to get what you aren’t willing to give. This is a simple concept that can make relationships much easier and so much more fulfilling. It’s almost like the good ole’ golden rule: treat others as you would like to be treated. In this case give your mate what you expect to receive.
LOVE LESSON 5: In the words of Lauryn Hill, “Mis-communication Leads to Complication”: The significance of communication is probably the most important love lesson I’ve learned.
Actor and best-selling author Hill Harper dedicated an entire book to the role communication plays in relationships. In The Conversation: How Black Men and Women Can Build Loving, Trusting Relationships, he emphasizes that the lack of communication amongst black men and women is having a lasting impact on the growth of their relationships, marriages and families. I’ve definitely learned this the hard way.
Madames, we’ve all had different experiences and learned different lessons. We would love to hear about your lessons on love!
