For the third day in a row, I've taken an afternoon nap. This is a streak for me. I'm not sure what it is about this particular vacation that is affording me this unique and exquisite opportunity to bed down with such effortless regularity, but I like it. I golfed this morning with my childhood best friend, Art. We played 18 holes and I shot something like a 92...nothing to write home about, but worth a mention on a modern blog. The grass was freshly cut, almost intoxicating in its fresh fragrance. The hemlock trees that lined this particular golf course were mammoth in stature, historic almost. As you peered into the woods, they were dark with mystery, home to the lightest green ferns you've every laid your eyes on. There were wild weeping larch trees all over the place as well...gorgeous.

I had a wonderful conversation with my buddy about marriage and the "7 habits to highly effective matrimony". (not really, but we did talk using terms like keys and tips)...words I infrequently use in conversation due to their cheap and reductionist nature. I love to talk about marriage with other married guys, I find that very few have these conversations on a regular basis with anyone. I find that unfortunate...it's only the most important responsibility men have that have tied the knot. I dont' know if men are generally scared to broach the subject due to the confusing nature of women (and they are confusing), or if they know deep in their spirits that they are the source of much of the tension and would rather keep their yapper shut so as to not throw out too much information and eventually hang themselves with thier own words. Whatever it is, it paralyzes most men and turns them into evasive conversationalists avoiding talk of the homefront like the bird flu.

But today, my friend and I talked freely of ebbs and flows, quandries and queries, dangers and desires. It was awesome...I walked away with three basic tips to keeping your wife alive and well:
1. Go on a date night at least every other week (every week if possible).
2. Let your wife have a night away while you watch the kids every other week. (at least)
3. Frequently acknowledge all the silent and unseen duties that your wife performs on a daily basis. (laundry, bills, time with kids, dinners, picking up, transportation, errands, shopping, etc)

I'm sure there are a number of spiritual dynamics that can contribute to the encouragement of your relationship, but these three seem to be vital to the relationship not ending in an emotional divorce or worse yet, a physical divorce. So many things crowd these three things out each week, but when these things are nonnegotiably practiced religiously, love stays in tact.

Well, I have an urgent and pressing thing to attend to...my daughters have gotten out the slip-n-slide...need I say more? This is going to be a blast.

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