My LEO and I just arrived home from an absolutely lovely vacation. 6 days of uninterrupted time with him all to myself. It was relaxing. It was refreshing. It was so very good for the soul. Would you like to know what we talked about? Absolutely nothing. We’ve been home for 24 hours and I can’t even remember a single conversation that we had. Now, I know you might be thinking…just exactly how many glasses of wine did you consume on this trip…but I promise that’s not it at all.
Spending time together doesn’t necessarily mean it has to be all about verbal communication. Don’t get me wrong…of course solid communication is beyond important in a relationship…I mean…duhhhhhhh. But, just taking some time to be with each other doesn’t always have to be about the big talks or having an agenda. There doesn’t always have to be a serious conversation where all of our life’s problems or issues are discussed in order to bring you closer to one another. Shared experiences and a few simple minutes with your partner also strengthens your bond greatly and can provide a great, positive emotional boost.
Spending quality time together is not the easiest thing to come by in a LEO family. Between the overtime shifts, call-outs, and training days, there are lawns to mow, groceries to buy, and kids to feed. Sometimes, we all need a little reminder that aside from God, our marriage is the glue and foundation of our families…not the jobs, cars, house, or even the kids. If we aren’t careful, it can fall to the wayside quickly and many times, we don’t even realize it’s been ignored for so long until it’s too late.
A trip away isn’t of course always doable, but spending real time together doesn’t have to wait for money saved or until the kids have a babysitter and you have a week off from work. Make it a priority to spend a few minutes together here and there if that’s all you’ve got right now. Take a walk together – 20 minutes. Share your new favorite song – 3 minutes. Play a board game – 1 hour. Make dinner together – 30 minutes. Others might not understand what a big deal 5 minutes can be, but I’ve gone days before living under the same roof without setting eyes on my LEO. With working opposite shifts, I'm sure that happens to quite a lot of us.
Waking up this morning back at home, I turned on the TV to see my LEO’s department once again in the news for all of the wrong reasons. I could sit and read the social media comments and start stressing out immediately, or I could just tell myself how I am so very grateful for the break we had from reality…even if it was just a few days. My heart is thankful that we had time to sit in the sun, laugh a little, and for the simple reminder that we are not only husband and wife, but best friends.
l Sandee l