They continue to provide their care until it is accepted, even if the recipient is unable to accept it immediately. It is a matter of sincere regret and sadness that strong personal demands might and frequently do momentarily obstruct empathy and mutual assistance. Additionally, they keep a mental journal of those painful exchanges, constantly striving to minimize them and swap them out for more positive encounters down the road. They behave with reciprocal emotional chivalry. In great relationships, sacrifice is frequently necessary, but the benefits of that kind of one-sided generosity can be negated by martyrdom and bitterness. When two people truly love each other, they sacrifice everything for each other, even if it means putting their own needs last. They are aware that occasionally one partner needs to offer more than the other, but they don’t worry that their efforts won’t be valued in the long term or that they won’t be returned. Everybody occasionally acts in a self-serving and self-promoting manner, and all actions are motivated by a mix of selfishness and altruism. But those who have faith in one another’s fundamental humanity understand that there is always an underlying, unwavering commitment to look out for one another. When it comes to expressing their priorities or demands, both partners respect each other’s right to be self-serving, but they also understand that if things get out of hand, they can ask to have those behaviors given up.
