Partnerships

Much as I have operated as a sole entrepreneur most of the time, in recent years, I’ve found myself working with different people who came into my life.

Some I met through the organisation.
Some were friends first.

Many people say, “Don’t work with friends — it will spoil the relationship.”
But I’ve also come to believe — if you never try, you’ll never know. You might miss out on something rare… something meaningful. Perhaps even a once-in-a-lifetime privilege.

I’ve been very blessed with a few close friends — the kind you can call “sisters.”
The kind where trust runs so deep that you can run events on each other’s behalf, host freely, walk into each other’s homes without hesitation.

Did I ever think of working together with them?
Of course.

Some partnerships happened.
Some didn’t.

And yes, there were challenges. There was heartbreak.
But there was also joy, peace, love, and harmony — the kind that warms your heart when you look back.

Then again…
the deeper the love, the deeper the pain.
爱之深，痛之切。

Is there ever a perfect balance?
Maybe. But if it exists, it often feels temporary.

Because over time, people change.
Expectations shift.
Rules evolve.
We try new things, grow in different directions, stretch our communication… sometimes beyond what we know how to handle.

And that’s where things get tested.

Bond.

This word came to me recently — through many reflections, deep conversations, and honest sharing.

At the heart of every partnership, it is the bond that makes it meaningful.

The late nights spent brainstorming.
The moments of wondering, “Why are we doing this?”
The dreams, the goals, the purpose behind it all.

That bond — that’s what makes it valuable.

And yet… all things, in their own time, may come to an end.

The real question is not whether it ends,
but how it ends.

Do we part on good terms?
Or does it leave behind something unresolved?

Perhaps that, in itself, is the true test —
of both faith and friendship.