Last week I got to thinking about marital bliss and how we express it to our spouses. Seems to me like it’s much easier to express our displeasure with the way things are going. It’s almost too easy to let the “Why didn’t you”s and the “How many times must we”s slip out our mouths. But gratitude and appreciation can be a little trickier. In the hustle and bustle of life we might not take the time to sit back and think, “Man, my wife/husband really has my back.”
But if we’re really happy with the way things are going, how do we let them know? Well, to take a cue from a old childhood song…
If you’re happy and you know it…write a letter. Putting your feelings down in words is good on many fronts. One – it’s a permanent record of your emotions at that time. Two – it’s that kind of old-school romance that I think trumps an email or text message.
If you’re happy and you know it…rub ’em down. Something about giving your partner a massage to show your appreciation taps into our primal need to be touched. It heightens intimacy and allows us to be relaxed when we’re with the one we love.
If you’re happy and you know it…give them some space. Everyone has so much to do these days that we might feel like we don’t ever get a breather. If your spouse is one of the most hard-working people you know, give them a couple hours where all they have to do is put their feet up and watch a movie.
If you’re happy and you know it…fill their belly. Does your spouse have a wicked sweet tooth? Do they swear they have roux running through their veins from all the Cajun food they love to eat? Make a stop on the way home and pick up some of their favorites. You know what they say – the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach (and it works for women too!).
How do you show your spouse you’re happy to be with them?