"The Wind Chime: A Metaphor for Relationship Crises"

Every relationship is bound to go through some form of crisis or another at some point.

You are either going through one right now, or recovering from one, or about to go into one without your knowledge.

This could be a crisis with yourself, your spouse, your business, your friend, your children or even one of your gadgets. i.e. from your phone’s battery dying at the wrong time to your laptop crashing in the middle of an important report.

All relationships are like this wind chime. It looks calm and beautiful.

But what happens when the wind blows? It jingles, and each tube knocks against the other.

The chime will create nice melodies or irritating sounds, depending on how short, long, or severe the wind is.

So is the effect of crisis in our relationships. It can either create positive or negative outcomes, depending on how long or the meaning we give to each of our perceived experiences.

For the wind chime, the clinging and clacking sounds can last for a few seconds or minutes or for as long as the wind blows. Then it settles down. It might settle down for a short while or for a long time, but sooner or later, it will jingle again as soon as the next wind blows its way.

The wind signifies crisis in all our relationships. Sometimes, we are caught unaware, and sometimes, our internal forecasts are spot on in pre-warning us, but by choice, we may ignore them.

That is how all relationships go. It does not matter whether you interfere with the chime by holding on to the pipes or not, it will soon settle when the wind settles. So is the crisis in our relationships. It goes on as long as we chose to hold on to the triggers.

Anyone who looks at this image now sees calm and pretty-looking chimes.

What you do not know or see is what it has just gone through or what it is about to go through.

Just like every single human being we come across in our daily lives.

What we see is what we know. What we do not know is what we cannot see.

The peace or the pain that lies within, the calmness or crisis that is loitering within, the highs and the lows, the silent excitement or the turmoil lingering on within.

Like any relationship, there will be harmony characterised by joy, happiness, calmness and peace.

There will be disharmony, branded by disagreements, surrounded by provoked or unprovoked arguments.

There will be crises, accompanied by siblings with the same surname, health crises, family crises, financial and relationship crises. With or without external intervention, the crises will settle down and life will continue.

In relationships, some will forgive each other and embrace the calmness that comes forth, while others will ignore each other and ignore the crisis, hoping for nature to take its cause.

Some will make permanent decision to resolve temporary problem.

Some will talk about the crisis, embrace the truth that it reveals, value the lessons of life and the calmness that follows, while others may seek refuge in the arms of storm chasers that camouflage like friends.

Others would choose to talk to external influencers who are blind to their relationship struggles, but perfect at assisting the crisis to gain momentum.

Whichever path you choose, the crisis will sooner or later calm itself down when the triggers seize, exactly like the wind chime when the wind stop.

Just remember to choose wisely!