Photo by Igor Rodrigues on Unsplash
THE MARRIED LIFE
“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.” (1 Chronicles 16:34)
Recently I was sitting in a chair at Kailua Beach and I noticed several people with dogs. Lots of dogs. Some dogs were running; some dogs were catching balls their owners threw into the water. Some dogs were on leashes, many were not.
“People sure love their dogs!” I thought. “Maybe this is ‘doggie day.’”
Another day at the beach seemed like “family day.” There were lots of families with children. The adults were laughing and playing with their children. It was wonderful to see; everyone seemed happy. People really love their children!
Next, maybe there should be “marriage day” at the beach, where couples go for walks or just spend time together.
Our society is so busy, often with both spouses in a family working, and couple time can get squeezed out. Men often focus on their jobs and/or hobbies. Women, even working women, tend to concentrate more on their children. But marriage is important too.
We can take for granted that which is more important — our spouses. When my husband was in the Navy and gone a lot, I learned not to take his presence for granted. Cherish the time you have together.
Selecting a “date night” once a week helps us spend time together regularly. This is a night to enjoy one another, not a time to go over the schedule or talk about problems. That should be dealt with at another time.
I remember my grandfather saying that every Friday night he and grandma would go out for dinner and dancing. He said the only time he ever saw grandma mad was if he would come home late on a Friday night.
Sometimes other things take more of our attention.
One day at the beach I saw a couple laying on blankets in the sun with their pet dog between them. The dog got a lot of attention, more than either of them.
Another time I witnessed a family that had just one child. The mom and the dad, the grandma and grandpa, all focused their attention on this one child. None of the adults got this much attention.
As Thanksgiving approaches, maybe a good way to pay more attention to our spouses is to be thankful to the Lord for them; not just for what they do, but for who they are.
I know what I am thankful for this year: my husband!
Listen to an interview with Mary Duddy on the Hawaii Catholic Herald Highlights’ podcast.
