I’ve been thinking a lot about foundations lately.  I have watched cracks that have been hairline for many years burgeon and widen and erode.  I have watched a new home being built and was intrigued that so much time was spent preparing the foundation.  There was a lot of arranging the red Georgia clay to hold firm amidst the onslaught of rain and possible flooding.  I watched the daily progress with interest because the builder put in double cement walls in some places and drainage pipes and other preventive measures to protect the home. I admit that I wondered aloud many times, “Who builds a house at the bottom of a ravine?” until I watched the foundation being built with so much forethought.

And then there are the ramps being built near 400 and I-85 that I have watched (and watched and watched while waiting in traffic) as their foundations have appeared, wide and statuesque, looming strong against the sky, a reminder that thousands of vehicles (and the weight of those vehicles) travelling safely on the ramps is totally dependent on the work being done now to lay a strong foundation.

Even with no engineering degree, I do recognize the need for a strong foundation in many areas of life.  Have you thought about foundations in relationship building?  What has the building process looked like for you?  Relationship foundations are vital to hold the potential hazardous conditions of life. I sit with client couples that have built their relationship at break neck speed, never even considering the uneven sand beneath them, and then when things begin shaking and crumbling, they are taken completely by surprise.

I do know that foundation repair is possible.  It takes commitment and an intentional investment into the future of the relationship. I would add both time and emotional energy to the mix.  Build well. Build strong, or if necessary, start the foundational repair.

Marlayne Whitlock, M.A., LAPC

mwhitlock@ GROWcounseling.com