The best way to protect yourself is not to insist that your partner always loves you, not to force your parents to fully understand you, and not to expect your children to always reciprocate. All comfortable and lasting relationships fundamentally stem from lowering expectations and not entangling each other. Why is art so beautiful? Because it is aimless, pure, and clean. Why is life often full of ugliness? Because it is filled with calculations, purposes, attempts, and intentions. This sounds harsh, but upon closer inspection, it hits home. Yet, this is the most genuine and tough card in adult human relationships.