Toxic people are not easily or quickly recognised. They trap you in their poisonous spiderweb and make it quite difficult for you to break free; they enslave you in their micro-world, where you think you belong but, deep inside, you feel that you should not be a part of.
Past trauma is one reason for commitment-phobia. Childhood trauma or traumatic experiences from past romantic relationships. A parents’ unpleasant separation during one’s childhood or, later, a toxic/abusive/infidel relationship can cause phobia for future commitment.
This is the magical thing about dogs: they are always thrilled to see you, even if you have been away for five minutes. Time is irrelevant to them. They will never greet you in a grumpy, indifferent, anxious, sad, tired way as we humans do.
Real, quality friendships are based on hard work, continuous effort, compromises and goodwill. It is the purpose that delineates them. I know it does not sound so romantic, somewhat cynical, I admit; however, worthy and long-lasting things in life are high-maintenance.
There are numerous creative responses to ‘When are you going to have children’ that vary from being polite to it-is-not-your-f*cking-business kind. You just choose the one that fits your mood and mentality better!