At the beginning of a new relationship, the future can seem limitless and full of promise. Nothing can dampen your feelings for your beloved, and it feels like you’re walking on sunshine. But as soon as the concrete, sometimes inconvenient truths about yourself and your beloved seep through that initial idealism, a relationship meets the first of many great tests that can transform it into something more stable and lasting. Anyone can imagine how adversity might ruin a relationship, but longtime married couples can attest to the reality that radical commitment to the right person is the key to a successful marriage. Whether you’re in the middle of discerning a relationship or persevering in marriage, gratitude and receptivity are crucial qualities to cultivate.

As students returned to campus this fall, many of them sat through orientation weeks with presentations that included guidance on safe sex practices. Foregrounded by concepts such as “consent” and “sex positivity,” there is often little to no vision of what healthy relationships look like, and no question as to whether physical intimacy should be a part of that picture. Universities continue to pursue this type of programming even as Gen Z becomes increasingly aware that concepts like “consent” and “sex positivity,” however much they comport with the progressive policies they support, have little to offer when it comes to finding real love.