I Promise, I Swear, I Vow, by Leo Buscaglia

 

The next time I have the urge to speak negatively or rudely to you, I’ll swallow and be silent. Loving you doesn’t give me license for rudeness.

If I can’t be generous and supportive, I’ll at least try not to stand in your way. Loving you means wanting you to grow.

I won’t put my problems onto you. You have enough problems,  I’m certain, and you don’t need mine. My love should simplify your life, not complicate it.

I don’t always have to be right, I can accept the fact that you are right as often as I am. Loving is sharing with each other. If I already know I’m right, I’ll never profit from your insight.

I don’t always have to be running the show. Loving is an ebb and flow. Sometimes I’ll need to give in.  At other times, I’ll need to take control.

I don’t have to be perfect, nor do you. Love is a  celebration for our humanness, not our perfection.

I can give up wanting to change you. If I want you in my life, the best thing for both of us is for me to accept you as you are. After all, love is moving forward together in mutual growth.

I don’t need to place blame.  Since I’m an adult who makes decisions based on personal experience, there is no one to blame for a poor decision except myself. Love puts the responsibility where it belongs.

I can give up expectations. To wish is one thing, to expect is another. One brings hope, the other one brings pain.  Love is free of expectations.

To love is the greatest of human experiences and sooner or later we realize that without it life is empty and meaningless. Love is always worth the effort, even if it brings confusion, uncertainty and pain in the process.  A loving relationship should be a celebration of its own.  Let’s use this special day as a reminder of that, and continue celebrating throughout the year.

From Bus 9 to Paradise

 

May 11th, 2012

The Art of Marriage by Wilfred Peterson

The little things are the big things.

It is never too old to hold hands.

It is remembering to say, “I love you” at least once a day.

It is never going to sleep angry.

It is at no time taking the other for granted;

The courtship should not end with the honeymoon,

It should continue through the years.

It is having a mutual sense of values and common objectives.

It is standing together facing the world.

It is forming a circle of love that gathers in the whole family.

It is doing things for each other,

not in the attitude of duty or sacrifice,

but in the spirit of joy.

Brandon Scott Photography, Windsor, Ontario- will travel

It is speaking words of appreciation,

and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways.

It is not expecting the husband to wear a halo

or the wife to have wings of an angel.

It is not looking for perfection in each other.

It is cultivating flexibility, patience,

understanding and a sense of humour.

It is having the capacity to forgive and forget.

It is giving each other an atmosphere

in which each can grow.

It is finding room for the things of the Spirit.

It is a common search for the good and the beautiful.

It is establishing a relationship in which

the independence is equal, dependence is mutual,

and the obligation is reciprocal.

It is not marrying the right partner,

It is BEING the right partner.

This is “The Art of Marriage”

By Wilfred Peterson

 

September 27th, 2011

Prepare for a Marriage – Not Just a Wedding

Remember how important the commitment is that you will be making to each other.

Remember the feeling of when you first looked at your mate and knew you loved them- allow that feeling to grow and grow.

Keeping track of the countless details in planning your wedding can be a stressful experience. You will be surprised by the amount of time and energy needed to plan the wedding. Yet, a wedding only lasts one day;  the intention of a marriage is to last for a lifetime. With about 50% of current marriages ending in divorce, it is vital for you to give serious attention to building a healthy, long-term marriage.

There are many programs offered to enrich your relationship and they are aimed at helping you develop your strengths as a couple. These are usually small group sessions offered by religious institutions or independent agencies that focus on relationship growth.

Trevor Booth Photography, Windsor, Ontario- will travel

Look for programs which emphasize building relationship skills such as communication and conflict resolution. These will remain with you long after the program is completed and provide a solid base for your relationship.

Relationship  programs offer a personal assessment of key areas of your relationship, allowing you to examine strengths and growth areas you have as a couple.

You may want to consider participating in a program after you are married. Most couples need to make a number of adjustments in their first year of marriage. An enrichment program provides a forum for discussing issues that otherwise may be left unexplored.

As a couple you must remember to care for yourself, first.  Look to have a relationship where you are accessible and ready to “be there” when your partner needs you. This is the commitment and joy that marriage  should bring and you should have a place, where you feel supported and can speak freely about your inner heart without the fear of rejection.

Giving compliments help keep your relationship grow. It’s easy to do, and it encourages your partner to do the same. You’re more likely to focus on the strengths of your marriage and the positive things that drew you to each other and brought you together.

Like a wedding, a relationship program requires an investment of time, energy, honesty and money; but they pay dividends for your marriage for years to come.

 

August 14th, 2011

Windsor-Weddings, The Wedding Guide, Talking Marriage

Once a proposal has occurred, there is much planning, discussions, computing of funds and decisions to be made.

Planning a wedding is like organizing a Broadway play There are so many actors and crew to think about, not to mention a budget to control, it is hard to know where to start.

rank Michael Photography

It is hard not to get so involved in all the details that the bride often forgets the reason for the day.

We all want to have the nicest celebration within the budget that one has to work with. After all, this is a milestone and one quite worthy of a lot of excitement. However the end result is a marriage; a union that will be founded on love, respect, trust and caring.

will travel. http://www.trevorboothphotography.ca

If your wedding is on the horizon, remember to take a breath and, pencil in some regular some time- outs, to simply relax and spend some leisure time with your fiancé. Discuss things that matter; speculate on your future life and ensure that you  are both on the same page. Talking now and understanding each other,will pave the way to a healthy relationship.

Visual Expression Photography and Video by Anthony Verrelli

April 26th, 2009