Second Time Around

In two weeks, my husband and I will renew our vows on our 25th wedding anniversary. Our first wedding consisted of 4 people: myself, my husband, his 10-year-old son, and my best girlfriend. We had a small ceremony because it was a second marriage for us both. The ceremony and informal gathering at our home were simple, meaningful, and memorable.

It’s 25 years later, and we’ve decided we deserve to party down! There’s been lots of good over the years: good health, vacations, promotions, children’s births, and some not so good: our son’s neurosurgery, a job loss, the loss of our house to a fire, and the death of close family members. Through the ups and downs of life, we have worked hard to keep our relationship a top priority and we both agree – we’ve succeeded. So at this notable benchmark in our marriage, it feels only right to stop and recognize our deep love and devotion to one another. It’s a time to celebrate the fruits of our labor with family, friends, and most importantly, with each other.

May 31, 2009 | Filed Under Uncategorized | 3 Comments 

Romance Telepathy

Lately, I’ve been coaching couples who are in long-distance relationships. These are men and women who don’t see one another sometimes for weeks and even months. They talk by phone, text, and e-mail, but the technology just isn’t cutting it for them. For these couples I recommend “romance telepathy.” This is when a couple agrees to pick one or more times during the day to stop what they are doing for 30 seconds and think of one another, as they imagine each other’s face, a favorite memory, or envision themselves kissing one another.

I actually discovered this idea of romance telepathy one day while looking through my mom’s attic after she had passed away. I found an old shoebox full of love letters my dad had written to my mom while in the army during World War II. In one of my dad’s letters were instructions to my mom for romance telepathy. Here is what he said in his letter to her, dated October 22, 1941:

“Darling, every day at eight o’clock, your time, I’m going to give you a kiss, also at one o’clock and at six o’clock and at ten o’clock your time. I want you to do the same, will you? I’m memorizing these times, so I’ll make sure not to get the wrong time. Because I want to know that when I’m doing it, you are doing the exact same thing. We will start this schedule Wednesday morning at eight o’clock your time. Is that okay? Okay.”

These letters are a gift. In them is my father’s heart – to me, a treasure worth more than gold. To take this treasure and pass it onto you or someone you might know who is far apart from his or her loved one is the best way I know to carry on this beautiful legacy.

May 15, 2009 | Filed Under Uncategorized | 2 Comments