Monday, June 6, 2016

When Love Looks Like Sacrifice

Sometimes love looks like sacrifice…

Like when my husband lets me listen to Celine Dion’s Christmas album year-round. It’s April, and I’m jammin’ to “Christmas Eve” on a road trip, and he doesn’t care.

Like when we listen to Celine’s station on Pandora for six hours while scrubbing the glue from our soon-to-be stained concrete floor in preparation for our attendance at her concert in Vegas—my thirtieth birthday present.


It’s healthy for your marriage when you each have different interests and hobbies—but it’s also good for you to support each other, even when it’s not “your thing.” That’s love.

If your spouse likes to golf, for example—join him or her on the range. Even if you don’t play, you can sit and watch or ride in the cart.

If your spouse likes to run 10Ks, but you don’t—show up at a race with your water and sign and cheer him or her on.

If your spouse likes to shop—it won’t kill you to hold bags and offer an opinion for a few hours on a Saturday.

Your company is what matters. Too often married couples end up leading separate lives because they resort to, “Well, that’s her thing” or “That’s his thing.” Why can’t it be our thing—even if one of us is only a spectator?

Celine has long been iconic in my house. I grew up knowing all her songs, singing full-fledged living room concerts with my sister and Tomi. We sang “That’s the Way It Is” or “Because You Loved Me” or “Love Can Move Mountains” when a member of our family needed cheering up.

Y’all, we had fake microphones and choreographed dance moves and all. It was a thing.

To see Celine was on my bucket list—not necessarily Howell’s. But he gave me this present and thoroughly enjoyed himself the whole time.



In fact, he said, and I quote, “That was better than I expected.” Ha! :) 



Having different interests is perfectly healthy—and time apart to do your thing is good, too. But guard your marriage against the separate syndrome!


Show your support when you can—even if it requires sacrifice. Your spouse will be so grateful! 

p.s. Although Vegas is definitely not our kind of place, the Celine Dion concert was everything I hoped for and more! She performed beautifully! :) 



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