Have you ever had a hopeless relationship? Numerous people have found themselves in this situation because they have not established criteria for what they want in a successful relationship. It doesn't matter if it's friendly, family or romantic. To be considered a satisfying or healthy connection, you need to establish some guidelines for what you think is important. I personally believe that the key characteristics that keep a long-lasting and meaningful friendship or family relationship together are honesty, basic communication skills, and trustworthiness. First, I would like to talk about honesty. Honesty is the fundamental element necessary to develop a lasting bond between people. When you don't have honesty, you have problems! I remember in kindergarten I had a friend who wasn't honest. He got me in trouble with the teachers several times. One specific episode stands out. He had lost a ball in the cafeteria and had me talk to the teacher who found it. Of course, the teacher thought that I was the careless person and that I was the one being punished. My "friend" didn't confess it was her ball or come to my rescue. Therefore, I gave up trying to be his friend. He obviously didn't appreciate honesty like I did and I soon grew tired of his fabrications. So, you need to be sure that your friends are honest people, or at least honest most of the time (who hasn't told a little "white lie" to save hurt feelings?). Being honest turns you into a more desirable friend to have. Therefore, people who appreciate this trait tend to be the kind of people you would also want as lifelong friends. While honesty is important, basic communication is even more crucial to maintaining a lasting connection. In today's society, ... middle of paper ... she has your best interest in mind. This creates safety, security, and a deeper ability to love. Successful marriages are built on trust. build a lasting relationship even when it's difficult. So, we've come full circle, and when you have these three basic ingredients, you have a recipe for building a successful, long-lasting relationship of any kind.*Names have been changedWorks CitedTownsend, John. “Building trust.” Focus on the Family April 2008: n 2014. .