This month we’ve spent time talking about families and about relationships, today we finish the month talking about our romantic relationships. I’ve spent time with many unhappy couples, and with individuals who aren’t together anymore because they couldn’t make their romantic relationship work. Don’t get me wrong, relationships are challenging, and people do change. And you add to the regular challenges of relationships that we’re part of a society that puts a huge emphasis on having a romantic relationship, that it seems strange or wrong when you don’t have one! We do live in a very busy society, with our calendars very full, our days scheduled, and many of us have trouble prioritizing and making time for things that really matter in life unfortunately.
There will always be things that will challenge you and your partner. As you grow older you will change, and so will your lives. There will be things you disagree on and things you agree to disagree on. You may even grow apart and no longer be right for each other. But, in my mind, there’s absolutely no excuse for a relationship you’re truly happy with to become boring. There are simple things you can do to make your relationship last longer, be healthier and make both of you happier. Barbara de Angelis says:
“The more connections you and your lover make, not just between your bodies, but between your minds, your hearts, and your souls, the more you will strengthen the fabric of your relationship, and the more real moments you will experience together.”
The more time you spend together, the more intentional you are about the time you spend together, the more ways you learn from each other, connect to each other and discover each other, the easier it will be for you to keep learning, discovering, connecting and loving each other.
You can take walks, go to the zoo, hold hands while watching TV, go food shopping together, read the paper together, email, text, tweet, talk on the phone while commuting, cook together, try new recipes together, read the same book and compare notes, do a creative hobby together, pray together, share about each other’s careers, dream about the future together, and sit in nature together. There are innumerable ways that you can make the time to connect with your partner.
How well connected you both are depends on your willingness to make the connections happen. This summer, I encourage you to take advantage of the beautiful weather and spend time alone with your partner, learning, discovering, exploring and loving in all the ways you can think of, and some more.