By P Mutuma

What makes a relationship last long?

It is not the butterflies.
Not the grand beginnings.
Not the promises said when everything is easy.

A relationship lasts when two people choose each other after the excitement fades.

It lasts when love becomes a decision, not just a feeling.
When you stay even on days you do not feel understood.
When walking away would be easier, but you choose to talk instead.

A long-lasting relationship is built on honesty, even when the truth is uncomfortable.
On loyalty, especially when no one is watching.
On respect, not just in public, but in private, in arguments, in silence.

It lasts when both people carry their own weight.
When no one is forced to beg for effort, attention, or consistency.
When love is not proven through words alone, but through actions that show up every single day.

It survives hard seasons because both know it is not you versus me.
It is us versus the problem.
No blame games. No disappearing. No emotional abandonment.

A relationship lasts long when growth is mutual.
When both people are willing to unlearn, to heal, to mature.
When pride does not speak louder than accountability.

Love that lasts is not loud.
It is steady.
It is secure.
It is choosing the same person even when life tests you.

Because real love is not about finding someone perfect.
It is about building something solid with someone who is willing to stay, willing to fight, and willing to grow.

That is what makes a relationship last.