1. Get a History Lesson. It is supremely important that you know what your mate has been through in his or her life. Rich, poor, happy, sad, alone, what happened in school, all the dish about the big moments and how they went down. How did Dad treat Mom or was there a Dad in the house? Did their family fight all the time? Did they ever discuss things below the surface or did they punish, abandon or beat each other up? Was Dad or Mom into the drink, drugs or popping pills? Were Dad and Mom faithful? It’s good to know just how far the apple does fall from that family tree.
