For a friend: A clean conscience makes a warm pillow

When in a relationship it takes effort, a lot of learning and patience to cohabit with another begin. What happens when that patience starts flaking away and and effort is the cold McDonalds fry that you just threw out your car? Upon learning that some relationships take a lot more work I feel very lucky for not having the headaches that others do. But where is the breaking point when it seems like the love of your life is a tsunami?