My daughter was in the car with me about a year ago and for some reason we got on to the subject of road signs. I gave her one or two examples of signs that make me smile and I confessed to an overwhelming urge to punctuate them correctly. At the time she was in her final year at school and her school was gradually being rebuilt (the operative word was gradually!) and they had been sharing the site with builders for well over a year. She told me about a sign that she didn’t understand and she asked what it meant. The sign in question was ‘Heavy Plant Crossing’ and I explained that it meant beware of diggers and other large machinery. My daughter laughed and said that she’d thought it was something to do with planting trees! She posed the obvious question, why can’t they just say what they mean? Maybe it is just tradition, but perhaps it is time to have a rethink. If an intelligent A Level student who speaks English as her first language doesn’t understand a warning sign, there is little hope for the many people living and working in our country who are not as familiar with the eccentricities of the English language.

Part of my job involved working with adults who needed to gain the skills needed to live independently, most but not all had mental health problems. Sometimes their personal hygiene left much to be desired and it was necessary to tell them about it and to help them to put things right. Bob (not his real name) who was about 30, had been taken out by a worker to buy soap, deodorant etc and had been told how to use them. Several weeks later he was taken shopping again and reminded that he must need to buy more deodorant by now. The worker was a little surprised when Bob said that he needed to buy a smaller container this time because the aerosol can did not fit. It was one of those occasions when you are almost afraid to ask the question, but the worker asked him to explain what he had been doing with the deodorant. He had been told to shower daily and to use deodorant afterwards, but it seems he had never come across deodorant before. He had been pushing the spray up his sleeve after he got dressed! No wonder it didn’t fit! Not everyone has the same level of knowledge or life experience so it is important to check understanding when you give an instruction and to follow up so that you become aware of any problems.

The problem with communication … is the illusion that it has been accomplished.

 George Bernard Shaw

1. Rough Road Ahead Of You

In any relationship there will always come a time that couples will face problems along the way, that’s why each of them should be ready all the time. As we know, loyalty and trust are the most important elements that make a relationship last, because they are the ones that test the faithfulness of the person to the one he or she loves. We should remember that it is with the problems that couples face that make their relationship stronger because it is with that that they will know each other more.

2. Slow Down A Bit

Having any commitment is not just a simple thing because it will really affect the outcome of your future. Today, there are already many unwanted babies around the world and it is just sad to know that most of them are killed. That is why always slow down and think for awhile, maybe it’s not really “love at first sight” but “lust at first sight”.

3. No U Turn

There are no more u turns allowed once you are in a serious relationship. Although there are already some countries that allow divorce, still the vow you have made in front of God can never be broken. You are responsible for the things you have done and things that is yet to be done.

4. No stopping Anytime

Actually, this one is related to number 3 because in any relationship you cannot just end it the way you want it. You cannot just say to your partner, “Let’s stop this non-sense already, at least now we already know what love really is.” True love isn’t like that at all. It’s not just about making love but the importance you are showing to your partner.

5. It’s a give and take

It should always be a give and take relationship in order to survive the struggles confronting the couple. It’s not always that the man or perhaps the woman that should be followed. He/she, even though committed, should still be responsible for his own actions. It is not always that only one of the couple should try to make the relationship strong, else it can easily be toppled down.

6. No adultery please

Always be contented with one lover or loved one, else you are guilty of adultery. Many married couples are having this problem that is why they end up also in the same way: divorced.

7. Always know your Limit

There are many people who ended up hated because of the boasting they do. A person, although he/she may have been successful in life, should always humble himself down in front of any other people. You are being judged by the way you are seen, and if you’ll have a bad image then how can you ever get the perfect man/woman for you. In the case of married couples, the only way to have reconciliation after long fights is for one of them to swallow his/her pride and say sorry.

8. Always be Open For any Possible Consequences

There are times that we commit mistakes that is why we should always be open for any criticisms, may it be bad or good.

To sum up everything, “faith and preparedness” are really important factors that shape a relationship. We should always remember that it is not that simple to enter a married life; people should also consider the future of their children. If there are any misunderstanding, couples should always try to resolve it first without the intervention of the court. God Bless You!