“A Reasonable Expectation”
Your partner/spouse/sig other is your sig other. He or she cannot be your lover, mother, father, spiritual leader, teacher, cheerleader and provider. A couple of those, sure. That’s reasonable. But not all.
Same with your friends. We have different friends for different reasons, and your best friend cannot be your everything. That’s far too much stress placed on that relationship, and, it’s a recipe for resentment.
Is it reasonable for you to expect your partner to work all day, pick up the groceries, stop by soccer practice, come home and make dinner, clean up, read a few bedtime stories, and still have the energy to make your toes curl? Hmmm, a bit unreasonable, perhaps?
Let your partner be your partner. Your best friend be your best confidant. Your sibs be your sibs. And you just work on what you bring to everyone’s life. It’s all about balance.