#keepinglovealive

[manoasha]

Secrets to a Happy Marriage: Easy Tips for Keeping Love Strong 💖 Respect Personal Space: Imagine your partner as a flower that needs room to grow. Just like you need space, they do too. Give each other the freedom to be independent and pursue personal interests. 🌼 Be Mindful About Past Loves: Picture your relationship as a beautiful garden. While it’s good to know about the types of flowers…

View On WordPress

[josemenaphotography]

This is one of the last sessions we photographed before this whole COVID-19 foolishness. Can't tell you how much we miss getting out there and documenting love. We'll be back soon enough!!! ⠀ ⠀ #WynwoodPortraits #MiamiEngagementPhotos #AnniversaryPortraits #KeepingLoveAlive⠀ ⠀ 📸 by @jose_laviestudios (at Wynwood Walls & Art District, Miami) https://www.instagram.com/p/CALI8_xgPUU/?igshid=1478ly34ebkp6

[writersblockbedamned]

Love, like Rain, can nourish from above, drenching couples with a soaking joy. But sometimes, under the angry heat of life, love dries on the surface and must nourish from below, tending to its roots, keeping itself alive.

Mitch Albon, The Five People You Meet in Heaven

[thatjusthappened-hotels]

.. If you know what I mean.

A front desk agent checks in a couple and upgrades them to one of the hotel suites for their 35th anniversary. Approximately 15 minutes later, they call down to the desk wanting to move, as the room isn’t good enough for them. The agent informed them that they were in our biggest room type, but he stated he needed an even bigger room to, ‘chase after my wife! ... If you know what I mean’.

[littlemissk17]

This is very true.....but other than doing little things for your spouse, it's very important that we don't take the little things(you know, the ones our spouse did for us) for granted... #marriage #truelove #keepinglovealive #love #lovequotes #quotesandsayings #quotes #iloveyou

[the20somethingwives]

It's been on my mind lately how it's truly amazing how relationships transform. I don't speak for every relationship because not all relationships are the same. However, in general, the pattern seems to show in one way or another...

You start at the infatuation stage, where you can't get enough of one another and you get the butterflies every time you touch hands. The nervousness of that first kiss, the first time you say "I love you" (if you even say it in this stage). All of that is fun and exciting and leaves you wanting more. Often it's hard to see any flaws your partner has and even when they're there in plain sight, they're ignored because you're head over heels in love.

While this is all taking place, you hit the getting to know each other stage in which you learn which color is their favorite, what their favorite movie is, and what types of food they enjoy. This part connects you and distinguishes what you have in common and what things you actually disagree on. Life is still beautiful at this stage and deepens your understanding of another.

Then it begins. You have your first disagreement. You're finding out their little quirks that just annoy you. The stage of feeling unsettled has changed your perspective on each other. How could he not like ______? Is he nuts? How could she feel this way about ________? While this stage often scares partners away from each other, some stick it out and learn how to deal with these differences. It's the stage that moves you forward to learning how to cope and whether or not these are deal breakers for a relationship.

Then eventually, the opinion or expectation stage will change the dynamic of the relationship. Are we exclusive? Could he be the one? What do I want out of this relationship? What do I have to offer him/her?  Without communication, this stage can often confuse one or both partners. Not knowing what someone expects out of you can lead to loss of boundaries which can be a scary thing. However, this stage is also great at continuing a strong foundation. Boundaries can be made so that the expectations of the relationship are clear to both partners and can prepare you for months and years of happiness ahead.

After communicating and compromising (both key ingredients to a healthy relationship), stability settles in. The stage of feeling secure builds on honesty and trust. You feel safe and understood. This is where my husband and I remained for a long time. We dated for 3 years before getting engaged. We knew the expectations of the relationship, we knew where we were headed, and we enjoyed our time together. Feeling secure didn't always promise easy times, but it meant that we knew we could tough it out through the times of doubt and issues life threw at us. It's the time that truly bonded us. We went from temporary to forever. This stage is where my husband and I found complete trust and stability in each other and our commitment towards one another.

Not everyone moves through these stages the same way. Some may even skip stages. But one thing is for sure, that at one time or another, life will throw a curveball. Marriage will often go through these stages as a cycle, because no one is perfect and mistakes are often made. But once the commitment of marriage is made, it's important to stick to the commitment and work for it. Relationships are work. Marriages are work. But the work is worth it. There is great satisfaction in a healthy relationship where the two partners work as a team. Marriage doesn't have to be dull and boring. Marriage done right is rewarding and fulfilling.

Just something on my mind as my first wedding anniversary comes around the corner.

-Emily