Date night! Eric and I just got back from the movies. He told me a few days ago that he wanted to take me out on a date, but he didn’t tell me what we were going to do. So, for several days I didn’t know where we were going, but I knew that we were going to do something fun and I looked forward to it all week. We got pizza and went to one of my favorite movies now playing in 3D. It was nothing outrageous, but it made my week!
Eric has a tendency to focus on the future with reckless abandon. He loves to dream, plan, and work towards goals. Sometimes he becomes so focused on what’s to come that he forgets about the here and now. As you might have guessed, I’m the opposite. I like to dream about the past. I think back on carefree days before I left home. If I’m honest with myself, they weren’t carefree days, but it’s more fun remembering them as such. Between him running ahead and me digging my heels in the dirt and wanting to turn around, we tend to miss out on the joys of daily life.
Which way do you tend to lean? Do you lean toward the future or toward the past? I’m reminded of a quote by the Lorax, “Trees fall the way they lean. Be careful which way you lean.” It’s true. I can remember times when I have fallen (i.e. stumbled off the right path) because of the time I spent daydreaming about yesteryear. It brought about discontentment and made me question my choices. Eric has fallen on his sprint to the future. By not getting to his destinations fast enough, Eric has found himself frustrated, overwhelmed, and discontent.
We can’t control the future, though we can prepare for it as best as we can. We can’t change the past, though we can make amends with others and enjoy pleasant memories. We can do something about the present, but we have to let ourselves be in the present to enjoy the present, to influence the present, and to change the present. Once you are married, going on dates, surprising your spouse, planning regular fun get-togethers with friends, and making time together on a daily basis (if at all possible) are a few ways to stay in the present. If you don’t dedicate some of your married life to fun and adventure you will naturally find yourself either dreaming about the better days to come, or reliving the “golden” days of the your past. What are you doing now to keep your relationship alive? (comment below!)
It was a fun night with my honey. I’m looking forward to our next date!