There is the hope that this time around, it’s going to work out.

That perennial hope is so intoxicating, it keeps two people coming back to each other for years.

No matter what they went through in the past, this time, it’s bound to be different.

They are older and wiser.

They have gained more experience in separate relationships or marriages and know what not to do.

They are coming back to the person that was their first choice, so it feels like it is fate.

Somehow, this person just gets you.

Yes, you both have problems whenever you are in a relationship as a couple, but this person seems to understand you better than anyone else.

Whenever a breakup happens, they swear that it is over and they have no intention of ever coming back.

The passion is so strong with these two, it’s scalding.

When there is this much passion, a relationship is filled with intensely robust highs and intensely robust lows.

There is no middle ground.

They are either fiercely in love with each other or intensely hate each other.

When there is this much unbridled passion, it’s incredibly tough to be levelheaded enough to work through rough stretches in the relationship.

Neither one has the emotional equilibrium to take a breath and think through issues as they arise and how to resolve them.

This leads to multiple breakups that could have been completely avoided.

They swear up and down that they are done with each other and that the other can go to hell.

Such intensity.

Months go by, sometimes, years.

After having blocked each other on their phones and social media post-breakup, they become curious about the other.

Someone unblocks the other.

They tell themselves that it doesn’t mean anything.

It’s been a while and they have moved on.

They only chose to unblock the other because enough time has passed and they are going to delete the number or unfollow anyway.

They end up doing neither.

Subconsciously, they are waiting to see what the other does.

Eventually, they convince themselves that sending a quick text saying “hi” or “liking” a post on the other’s social media, is just something they did to be polite.

Enough time has passed now, let bygones be bygones.

They have no intention to take it beyond that.

It’s complete denial.

Deep down, they know how this rodeo goes.

They have been here multiple times before.

Inevitably, first contact leads to a reconnection and it’s not long before the passion is reignited and the two of them are at it again, believing this time around, it’s fated to work out.

It doesn’t.

The highs are too high and the lows are too low, with no equilibrium.

They break up for the umpteenth time, until the next reunion a few months or years from now.

As long as the passion is so intense between these two people, and without equilibrium, there is no room for introspection or resolutions.

Sadly, that keeps this never-ending cycle of coming back to each other on a constant loop.