What have you learnt from your relationships?

Was thinking a place to discuss all the lessons we've learnt from our relationships would be a fun idea. Not really to give tips and advice (though that might come up), but things that we've personally realised about our expectations from relationships. If you'd have asked me what I wanted before my first boyfriend I would have basically described him; rational, confident, kind, not clingy, motivated, independent, and attractive. We broke up though because I realised that rationality and independence can sometimes come at the expense of emotional support and good communication, and that sometimes emotional thought should dominate rational thought. I was never a particularly an emotional before this relationship, but learnt that was something I greatly needed from my partner. I've had friends who are the opposite; they wanted their boyfriend to be central in their life, constantly sending cards and hugs and kisses and PDA's etc. Some of them did a complete U-turn once they experienced that reality and wanted a more 'mature' relationship. So how about you guys? What have you gleaned from your experiences that you're looking for now, and how that might have changed from before? Maybe even how it might change in the future.

Put the internet to work for you. via Personal Recipe 2629979