276 AHA! MOMENTS RELIEVE INNER CONFLICTS ...

It can be difficult to tell what's more disturbing to your sense of peace:

Conflict with another person

or

Conflict within yourself—concerning what to do once you see how unhealthy a relationship has become.

If you are emerging from denial but others are not, here is what results:

Your patterns process through phases of change while theirs remain unchanged

As it's common for change to advance one painful step at a time, monumental changes take t-i-m-e

If change creates confusion
Which escalates into mayhem

Conflicts may deepen until you—

Can't live with'em

Can't live without'em

Change is classic to all relationships, because—

Love is like that

And

Old habits die hard

And

Habits form patterns

And

If I feel a compelling need to change my pattern

While you can't see any need to change yours

Then our puzzle pieces can't fit together

As securely as they had in the past

As it's natural for friendships and love relationships

To advance through this s-l-o-w process of change
The pain we each feel is classic
Because personal growth takes place at every stage of life:

Babies develop into 'terrible twos'

Children develop into moody teens

Teens develop into beginner adults

Some beginner adults mature in certain areas

Some beginner adults mature in other areas

Couples marry and various life styles and values try to merge
Parents age

In short no one leaves childhood unscathed
And as maturity does not occur in ABC order

Individuals do not mature, simultaneously, in every aspect of life

As some will experience one frustration while others experience another

One individual may be busy learning certain lessons

While another person is paying mind to others

So rather than putting down each other's flaws

We'd each fare better by choosing to open our eyes, ears and minds

And take note of each other's strengths

Once we learn to work side by side, compassionately

We'll glean insight from each other, eagerly, rather than defensively—

But then—

Choosing  to learn that which we need to know about ourselves, takes maturity ...

And so it goes ...

Something tells me that this train of thought is suggesting that my sense of readiness is nearing the station where  my three year-old self waits to be revealed.  In other words, I may be in the process of maturing (shrugging off subconscious fear—relieving inner conflict), and I really hope that's true...