3 years go by and you’ve settled into your routines. Dinner at 6, in bed by 10. You see your partner in passing as you get ready for work in the morning. Drop the kids off to school, the day is like any other day. Practices, homework…what’s for dinner? All these things are a part of your everyday life. There is nothing wrong with the routine. Being happy with the mundane is important. These things are the tree branches of life.

Now… it’s been 5 years and every day is like yesterday. Mundane just seems so normal now. Just doing the basics seem to be enough. And you wonder why there is no excitement. No passion. No thirst anymore. The trunk has caught a disease The branches are brittle and the leaves look lifeless. You’ve forgotten how important it is to water your soil, to be thankful when the sun comes out.

Somewhere along the line complacency took over your days.

Trees don’t just thrive on its own. It takes a whole universe to make it possible.

A flower without a seed, is non-existent. And a seed alone doesn’t blossom through concrete on it’s own.

Do you how vital each puzzle is? No matter how big or small?

You saw something in each other. You made a conscious effort to be together. To make it work no matter the obstacle. Why? And how did you do it? How did two strangers fall in love? These answers should remain the staple of your relationship. It’s the fundamentals of everything you’ve built.

The tree grows slowly. But that doesn’t mean you stop tending to it. To things, to people, to love, to growth. What happens when you stop paying attention?

You and your partner didn’t decide to build a life together on a whim. Remember how excited you got when she texted you good morning? Remember how he looked at you when you woke up and looked over at him? Remember how you two made it a point to make space in your home for one another? (what else can I throw out? hmmm ) How about all the times you made an extra trip just to see each other for 10 minutes? I don’t have to eat, just a kiss will be enough 😊 Those were the roots. It’s where it all began.

Relationships just like trees need certain things to keep it healthy. To keep it thriving. Both will encounter the warmth of the sun as well as ice-cold winds.

I understand we’re all busy. We all get trapped in the cycle of mundane comfort. Comfort is nice. I like comfort. But comfort means different things in the context it’s used. Not knowing the difference can cost you your wife. Your child. Your best friend. Your career. The QUALITY of time you spend on any given thing is what you get back. Don’t underestimate the power of quality time people.

Do you really think to sustain anything great takes little effort?

What are you willing to sacrifice? What things are you not? What is your must?

It’s a must to have a date night once a week. It’s a must to read to my child every night. It’s a must to meet up with my best friends once a month. It’s a must to plan trips once a year with my family/friends and BE PRESENT. No checking emails, no being on your phones. It’s a must to laugh and enjoy each others company. To make new memories. Life and relationships become stale. If you don’t make it a point to renew the life in it, it will die.

Your life is combination of your choices. Of what you put effort into and what you don’t. Take a moment and look around. Are you happy? What needs more love? More care? More time? Make it a point to check in with yourself often and ask these questions. Life can be busy, but what is life without love? Without authentic relationships? Having people you cherish who cherish you the same is a part of the human experience. It’s one of the most valuable ones.

Image by SimsalabimSabrina from Pixabay

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