Twinn Swan

The mystery of what it means to be human is characterised by a deep paradox. That paradox arises due to the nature of the relationship we form with ‘the Other’. A person can either be a living being, a deity or even someone who has passed away. Their existence can be affirmed by our physical senses or by our memories.

When we create a relationship, a paradoxical ‘third entity’ is formed. That third entity is the relationship itself. Individual differences have to be transcended in the process of its formation. The relationship–for better or for worse–can have an enormous influence on the individuals who comprise it; often altering them significantly for the rest of their lives.

In certain instances, a relationship–and its bonds, ties and obligations–can be stronger than either individual, whether in life or in death. It is through creating relationships with others that many of us reach our creative peaks, our career achievements as well as fulfil our highest aspirations.

But as everyone undoubtedly knows, not all relationships are easy or harmonious. Most are fraught with difficulties and some are more complicated and challenging than others. Successful and long-lasting relationships, especially those of an intimate nature, require a special bond and karmic connection that few can hope to possess.

Yet, for the sake of a relationship, individuals are willing to invest what they have. They are willing to submerge and sometimes even sacrifice their own individuality for the sake of the union.

‘The Other’, in the context of a relationship, can be a friend or foe, a parent or a child, an employer and a worker and even a lover or an ex. These interactions, whether short-lived or long-lasting, create bonds. These relationships, regardless of heir length, will most likely not satisfy our deepest longings. And yet, we are creating these relationships at every juncture and crossroads of our lives.

So why do certain people–and even groups of people–come to populate our lives? What are their deep longings, goals and shared histories?

What, then, are these relationships destined to create?