Recently we celebrated the 4 year anniversary of our marriage. Time has flown, but I'm just as sure today as I was on that sunny spring day in April that I picked the PERFECT man for me. I don't often make public declarations of my love (because no one appreciates PDA) but I really do love this man with all my heart. Just when I think I couldn't possibly love him any more than I already do something happens that makes it grow. Usually it's the small things like watching him be the perfect daddy to our little girl, or seeing him study hard every night to make it through graduate school that get my heart all fluttery these days.
Kevin and I are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. As such, we wanted to be married in the temple where we could be sealed together for time and all eternity. To be allowed to enter the temple you have to be worthy to enter. This means that you follow the word of wisdom (we don't smoke, drink or do drugs), stay chaste (sex is for marriage only), and attend church meetings etc. To be allowed to enter you interview with church leaders who issue a little pass called a temple recommend which allows you to enter the temple. In one such meeting we were talking with one of our church leaders. He was a wizened kindly looking older gentlemen; you know the kind that have smile wrinkles around their eyes and mouth. He asked us the necessary questions on worthiness but then took the opportunity to just chat with us. He asked us how we met, what we were studying in school and why we loved each other. Then he said something that I hope I never forget. He said, " If you take one thing from this conversation today I want you to remember to cherish each other. Take one day a week where you tell each other two things that you love about one another. And be creative, try to say something different every week. Do it every week for the rest of your lives together. Start today!"
The next week as Kevin was driving me home from one of our dates I suggested that we take the advice and tell each other two things that we love about the other. It was awkward. We each took forever to think of something to say and then struggled through saying them to each other. Even though it was awkward I couldn't help but feel a subtle change, a warmth and appreciation for one another that wasn't there before. Through the years we have taken time on our set day to think of our "two things" to tell each other.
I am SO thankful that we followed the advice of that wise man. Telling each other things we appreciate about one another is no longer difficult or awkward, it's second nature. I've found that knowing that I will be sharing two things with Kevin at the end of the week makes me more attentive during the week of the things he does that make me happy.
I challenge you to try it! Tell the ones you love how you feel on a regular basis, you won't regret it!
