Relationship – Work In Progress
“We all know relationships take work, but have we ever considered that they are a Work in Progress? Just like raw materials are transformed into finished products through multiple stages in manufacturing, relationships evolve over time, requiring ongoing care, effort, and attention.”
I have worked on several projects throughout my career in the supply chain flow. After raw materials are received, they are transformed in the manufacturing process into semi-finished products. At this stage, the goods are partially completed and may require further processing or assembly. WIP (Work In Progress) can exist at multiple stages of the production process.
In many business areas, WIP can also describe a project or task that is underway but has not yet been completed. Managing WIP effectively is key to ensuring a smooth and efficient workflow.
Oftentimes, couples get married, finding their soulmate, which is beautiful. However, they may not realize that they are much like two raw materials—still far from reaching the finished product. Then, soon after, they have children, thinking they are the finished product of their love. Yet, the reality is that this only complicates the process further.
I remember a moment in my own life when I started questioning whether marriage was truly necessary? I once heard a couple, who had been married for decades, express how their love had changed over the years. This made me wonder, can a relationship, just like a product, ever truly be finished?
I’ve also realized that the majority of people, including myself, get married because “two are better than one,” which is true in many ways. However, in today’s society, the divorce rate is sky-high. I’ve watched many older couples, after 50 years of marriage, turn into strangers.
What went wrong? Maybe we neglected to see that relationships are a WIP, not a completed finished good. Human beings are far more sophisticated than materials. We carefully design a process flow to ensure raw materials reach the final product, but we often fail to consider that we, ourselves, are more precious than that.
As I reflect on the words of a pastor who once said, ‘We worship God’s creations more than the Creator,’ I am struck by how much we, as a society, have lost in the process of chasing after things—money, power, and recognition. We forget to invest in what truly matters: the people around us, the very ones who help us grow.”
In supply chain management, we talk about WIP (Work In Progress)—products that are in the middle of the manufacturing process, not yet completed. Similarly, relationships are a WIP, constantly evolving as we work through challenges and grow together.
Perhaps, instead of seeking the ‘finished product’ in relationships, we should embrace the fact that they are always a WIP. By investing in continuous growth and care, we ensure that the relationships we form will stand the test of time—and that, ultimately, is the true measure of success.