Valentine’s Day, with its enchanting allure, offers a glimpse into the depth of intimacy we share with our partners. It’s a night of tender embraces, passionate kisses, and shared moments that remind us of the extraordinary bond we’re fortunate to have. Yet, as the florist’s shutters close and the day fades into memory, we often find ourselves slipping back into routine, neglecting the intentional pursuit of love. But what if we could extend the magic of Valentine’s Day throughout the year? What if we could reignite the flames of passion and rediscover the joy of loving fiercely and fearlessly?
The Valentine Blues
Reflecting on the early days of romance, it’s easy to reminisce about the excitement, the vulnerability, and the undeniable chemistry that once defined our relationships. But as time passes, life’s demands can overshadow the thrill of love, leaving us longing for those initial sparks. Research suggests that strong romantic relationships are key to happiness, good health, and longevity, making it clear that taking our partners for granted is a risk we cannot afford to take.
A Plan for Passion
It’s time to take action, to reclaim the passion that brought us together in the first place. Passion is not merely a fleeting emotion; it’s a skill that can be cultivated and nurtured over time. By making love a present-tense verb, we commit to being intentional in our pursuit of passion. Here’s how we can start:
- Make a commitment to prioritize your relationship by scheduling regular date nights. Whether it’s a romantic dinner or a leisurely stroll, carve out time to reconnect and rediscover each other.
- Pay attention to the little things that matter. Change your tone of voice, surprise your partner with thoughtful gestures, and create moments of intimacy that deepen your connection.
- Communicate openly about your desires and intentions. Be proactive in initiating physical intimacy, recognizing that desire can be cultivated through emotional closeness and mutual respect.
- Hold each other accountable. Commit to sharing your relationship plans daily and celebrating even the smallest steps taken towards reigniting passion.
Tonight, as you reflect on the love you share, consider a small or large plan to nurture your relationship. Tomorrow morning, and every morning thereafter, dedicate five minutes to share your intentions with your partner. And each evening, take a few minutes to reflect on whether you’ve turned those intentions into action. Remember, the journey to lasting love is not without its challenges, but with dedication and perseverance, passion can be kept alive and thriving.
Conclusion
As we embark on this journey to extend the love found on Valentine’s Day, let us never lose sight of the magic that brought us together. Let us embrace the challenge of keeping passion alive, knowing that the rewards far outweigh the effort. Together, let us commit to pursuing love with unwavering dedication, today and every day beyond Valentine’s Day.
John Fischer The Catch 
My wife has, of late, been very purposeful at clogging our toilets with copious quantities of toilet paper. Something in her Alzheimer’s-infected brain has led her to believe that she needs to be using much more TP than is necessary.
So, unclogging those toilets has become my newest “passion” in caring for her as well as helping preserve my own sense of usefulness and dignity.
Our plumbers helper has become one of my new BFF’s! (Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I’d become so passionate toward a plunger, either!)
While what I relate may not fit the description of passion and love as depicted above, it does bring me to a newer level of intimacy with my wife that I never foresaw during our earlier days of idealistic and amorous youth.
As I’ve learned over the years, intimacy can go several ways: whether through a romantic kiss or scouring the poop from inside a certain porcelain receptacle.
Never did I visualize – beyond the flowers, candlelight dinners, walking hand-in-hand, snuggling together, etc. – the messiness, drama, trauma, and heartbreak that is sure to accompany true love down the road.
And, even as difficult as it was for me back then to ponder our own future travails, it makes me realize that I have not yet attained “true love.”; there is still more love that needs to be tapped into, mined, and expended.
However, despite my poor pathetic plight with toilet paper and porcelain, the ultimate depiction of True Love was much messier than anything (or anybody) most of us have ever had to put up with or endure physically.
True Love involved a couple pieces of rough-hewn wood and the pronouncement:
“This is the King of the Jews” scrawled in several languages over the bruised, bloodied, and thorn-pricked head of a crying, dying Jesus.
The least romantic yet most romantic expression of love ever.
Flowers and wine are fine but I think I’d prefer a bottle of Drano right now…
Shalom, Peace…
🙂
Thank you, Bob, for these painful, but beautiful observations of love.
Bob thanks for sharing your great love for your wife during some difficult times no matter how messy with some tasks it shows the greatest love towards someone. Si true about Jesus as he showed us the greatest love of all and its continuous all the time. Take care, and God Bless.
Bob , that was well written , using humor to get to the heart of the gospel. As you know my wife has cavernous angiomi style dementia, in the end it is like all dementia .You created a picture in my mind of a man swaggering around the house with a huge plunger on his left shoulder and a can of drano in his right hand….the real Mr. Clean!!!
On the positive side of my wife’s dementia…she now laughs at my jokes. Yes, I have abandoned the Reader’s Digest type humor. Maybe that is the secret.
Once when we went shopping she got into the car beside us, and looked at the driver in the driver’s seat and said, ” Hey you are not my husband!” and got out of the car laughing.
Last of all she has adopted a life line. It is a little purse just big enough to hold credit card, driver’s licence, health care card, etc. In short all her identification.. Her whole world turns upside down when she can’t find it. It gets ‘lost’ 5-10 per day. When I find it, because I keep a mental inventory of where certain of her things are, she treats me like I just saved her life. To This day she realizes that it holds the key to the house and her identity. We put beeping device, which works from an app on my phone, in the purse. I thought that would solve that problem. Then she took it out because it was too bulky. I would find the tracker by itself.
My heart breaks for her everytime I stop to think how hard it must be for her to be aware of what she used to do and no longer can do. God gave her to me to love. He showed me that by placing his hand in my back and it felt like he was pushing me towards her. That was 50+ years ago. She is my valentine. She used to love going to dinner dressed to the hilt, order salad, and planked salmon with a decadent dessert to follow. This Valentine’s day she wanted a filet of fish from McDonalds and I had a big MAc. We had medium diet cokes as chasers. We ate this delicious dinner in the parking lot while holding hands from time to time.
Sadly when we got home, she said, “What did we just do? It was important wasn’t it?
Yet it was the most precious Valentine’s day we have had. Praise the Lord!!!!
57 years ago, my Bobby and I had our first official date. I was 15 and he was 17. How I miss him. It was a year ago last Thursday that Jesus took him home. I would give a fortune to have his irritating little habits back. The myriad little ways he showed his love and care for me far outweighed them though. We were, until the day he died, the couple other couples wanted to be. It took hard work , and we were still working on it til we ran out of time. There was a movie line everyone thought was so deep and meaningful…”Love means never having to say you’re sorry.” Wrong! We learned to admit faults and ask forgiveness, and grant it, hundreds, if not thousands, of times. I used to snuggle my head on his shoulder and bury my nose in his neck. I’d say, “You’re my guy.” He’d answer “Silly. Are you my sweetie?” And I’d reply, “Always.” My heart aches with missing that, but rejoices that we have that kind of love. In a card, he once wrote, “Even when we’re not together, we are.”