Marriage is a beautiful union. It’s something most of us look forward to, dream about, and idealize. We start off dating and then get engaged. Pretty soon you’re planning this amazing wedding and after it’s all said and done you barely ate the food or remember the day. It’s almost a blur. Fast forward you are now married. What does that mean? First things first, marriage just doesn’t go on auto-pilot as you continue living life. Marriage is work, it’s hard work.
I remember the day I got married but the details are a blur. I honestly don’t think I ate anything. I felt like a deer in headlights. I was also twenty two years old, and a young twenty two at that. The first five years were hard. You are now married to someone and having to adjust to all of their quirks and they are adjusting to all yours. Throw kids into the mix and wow that equals TOUGH. Kids are amazing, precious, what we live for, but it doesn’t mean its not hard as nails.
Now you have all these people who need and want your attention, of course there is a pecking order and guess who get’s the least ? This is where spouses start feeling a little neglected. Work schedules get in the way, financial stresses, exhaustion, and the list goes on.
What I have learned from epic failures to beautiful victories, is that it is crucial to make your marriage top priority. Once the kids move on you want to make sure you like that face in front of you and vice versa. A concrete date night or even something simple like a walk outside together holds its weight in gold. Even sneaking away for a night alone can revive just about anyone. We need to remember why they fell in love with us and why we fell in love with them and keep falling in love over and over with our evolving selves.
Most of all, give respect. Sometimes we forget that with our spouse because of the years and close proximity to this other human. They are worthy of all that we want for ourselves.
Investments like those yield the best returns.
