Love is like a train track, two rails always progressing together in the same direction but never crossing. As Khalil Gibran describes in The Prophet, love is like the same wine drunk from different glasses or two strings of a violin playing the same note. Our individual growth and evolution are inevitable and cannot be merged with another’s, even if we choose to walk alongside them for a time or our entire lives. This is why powerful unions are formed between strong, independent individuals who trust and love each other greatly but do not rely on each other emotionally. Instead, they prioritize mutual needs while maintaining their own sense of self. This balanced dynamic allows for a 50/50 effort in the relationship, keeping them faithfully together while remaining independent in their spiritual journeys. They choose to be together every day out of joy and fulfillment rather than fear of being alone or unloved. Therefore, everything that stems from a healthy, vertical hierarchy (spirit over mind over body) brings joy, efficiency, and strength to the partnership while anything born out of neediness or fear indicates an imbalance and lack of emotional self-reliance that often leads to an unsustainable relationship.