Love is Always Required

Relationships these days can be very tricky, many go into it because they are tired of being alone and want to believe their love will last, and then there are the few who are very lucky and finally find what they always desired or wanted from their mate.

All relationships need commitment, dedication, devotion; trust and respect if you want it to succeed.  In addition to the above you also need to have loyalty, trust and communication open at all times.  If anyone of these things is missing there is no way you can expect to find a lasting and meaningful relationship. Every relationship needs these key elements to survive, and ignoring any can be fatal. 

It is easy to fall in love with someone if you have a bit of chemistry and enjoy being with one another, but your main focus if you want it to be real. To continue to grow stronger as a couple you must be in it wholeheartedly.  You must not only think of your feelings but that of your mate.  Don't let bad judgments or insecurities put a damper or strain on your relationship. 

There will be some downs and with that disagreements but they are just that and can always be worked on together, so keep loving, keep appreciating and keep improving as all good things get better with time and most importantly never forget to always love every step of the way. 



Copyright (c) 2013~Susan B. Anna

Keeping the Spark in your Relationship

Everyone who has ever been in a relationship can understand the overwhelming need to want that relationship to last.  Upon the start everything about it is exciting.  The glances, the kissing, and most importantly the touch is wonderful, and you can't help but hope that it continues that way.  Unfortunately, things do die down and one can get a bit too comfortable so it is easy to forget how great things were in the beginning. 

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The dating and closeness you had in the beginning slowly diminishes and it is considered normal but shouldn't be.  There is no reason whatsoever to stop doing what you once did to get to that relationship status.  Work, friends and every day stresses should not prevent one from making sure their partner is satisfied in every way.  Be it by noticing when they are upset and having them talk about it, listening and giving them your views on the matter or simply just cuddling for no reason whatsoever.  Nothing should prevent you from making your partner priority number one.

When you chose to see each other exclusively and took that next step to solidify the relationship you decided then that your partner was special and wonderful enough to do so.  Therefore, do not by any means lose sight of that.  Take the time to tell him or her that you love them.  Treat them to something special and not only on a special occasion and most importantly always, always make time for just the two of you.  The passion should never die down and the romance must always be there, so send your special lady flowers at work, sit and watch that romantic movie together and explore one another.  Keeping the fire lit and the heat index high between you is beneficial to you both, so if in doubt ask, you will be surprised what you may find out and even more so when those sparks ignite something between you that can make most adults not only blush but look forward to more.

No great love should ever be taken for granted but simply appreciated...  

Copyright (c) 2013~ Susan B.  Anna 

Great Lessons

Dedicated to every Mommy and all the women who do so much to support their husbands, brothers, male cousins and all men to make their/our lives better each day! Happy Great and not so Great Women's Day!!!

Burned Biscuits - A lesson we all should learn from.

When I was a kid, my Mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. I remember one night in pa...rticular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work. On that evening so long ago, my Mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned biscuits in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed!

 
All my dad did was reach for his biscuit, smile at my Mom and ask me how my day was at school. I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that ugly burned biscuit. He ate every bite of that thing...never made a face nor uttered a word about it!

When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my Mom apologize to my dad for burning the biscuits. And I'll never forget what he said, "Honey, I love burned biscuits every now and then."

Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his biscuits burned. He wrapped me in his arms and said, "Your Mom put in a hard day at work today and she's real tired. And besides--a little burned biscuit never hurt anyone!"

 
As I've grown older, I've thought about that many times. Life is full of imperfect things and imperfect people. I'm not the best at hardly anything, and I forget birthdays and anniversaries just like everyone else. But what I've learned over the years is that learning to accept each others faults and choosing to celebrate each others differences is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship.

And that's my prayer for you today...that you will learn to take the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your life and lay them at the feet of of someone higher. Because in the end, He's the only One who will be able to give you a relationship where a burnt biscuit isn't a deal-breaker!

We could extend this to any relationship. In fact, understanding is the base of any relationship, be it a husband-wife or parent-child or friendship!

"Don't put the key to your happiness in someone else's pocket---keep it in your own."

 
So, please pass me a biscuit, and yes, the burned one will do just fine.
And PLEASE pass this along to someone who has enriched your life--I just did!

 
Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

 
"Life without God is like an unsharpened pencil--it has no point.

~Author Unknown

Love & Marriage

Check out these simple steps and improve your marriage and or relationship...

 Practicing these small steps will make a world of difference in your relationship with your spouse or partner.


Open Your Heart

Any relationship works only when you open your heart and convey your feelings to the other person. And this is especially necessary in marriage, where the husband and wife are said to be of one flesh and blood. An increased bank balance or a healthy sex life with your spouse loses does not mean much unless you two have a candid relationship. So make it a point to indulge in a heart-to-heart conversation with your partner, at least for half an hour each day. 

Know your spouse/partner

Most of us live married for years without actually knowing our partner. This is because most of us are too full of ourselves to pay attention to others. That’s why, often we fail to recognize our mates properly and miss out little things about them till we come to know about them through some other source or when a third person points out those things. That fills us with guilt and often makes us jealous. But the truth is, you should spend more time with your partner and try to understand him/her more.


Be on Time 

Being punctual is the greatest tip for people of both sexes. Be on time for your date. It’s real bad manners on your part to turn up late and let your date wait anxiously. It makes you seem rude and an insincere person to have a relationship with.

Listening

Try to talk less and listen more. That way, you will discover your spouse’s thoughts and feelings more and more. A recently conducted research shows that the average person listens for only seventeen seconds before interrupting with his/her own ideas. Probably you do it too. But you can improve it. Work to increase your listening span more and more. Practice looking at and paying attention to your spouse when he/she talks to you. Remember, listening begins with seeing and having eye contact with your partner while having a conversation, shows that you are attentive to the words being spoken to you.

Don’t Bicker

A lot of marriages/relationships head to the brink of separation only because of constant bickering among the partners. Do you do so too? Just pause and think, how many times did you tell something to your spouse that you repented upon later and rued that you had better left it unsaid? Ignore the little things, and save the confrontations for the bigger problems. Whenever an argument arises, try to solve it peacefully. Even if you have to raise your voice, never lose temper and never let the thought of separation cross your mind. No marriage is perfect and differences are part of any relationship, be it among friends or family members or spouses. Tolerance, a little patience, understanding your partner’s wishes and respecting his/her opinions are what are required for a smooth marriage life. Be gentle with one another and never go to bed angry with each another. This is harder on the both of you. Keep in mind that no problem is so big that you can’t solve it together. No trouble is worth breaking your marriage over. 


Appreciate

A common habit of most humans is to see only the negative qualities in their spouse and ignore the positive ones. But no relationship can benefit from constant criticizing and nitpicking. Try to appreciate whatever good you find in your partner and do so openly, vocally. Remember, all of us want a little appreciation in our lives.


Talk

Communication is the key to a healthy marriage. Having a great relationship doesn’t mean that things are always perfect. If you have problems, you need to talk about them, and work out a solution that is acceptable to both of you. Make sure that you have an open relationship with your spouse. That way, you will get to know what your partner’s expectations are from you. Once you get to know, do not ignore those. Work on them. The little botherations of today can build up into something so big tomorrow, that you may not be able to solve them ever.


Thank your Partner

Try to thank your partner now and then for everyday things like making a meal, taking out the garbage, cleaning the garage or buying the groceries. Common courtesies help a great deal in any relationship. Whatever duties your partner performs in a relationship, a thank you or a compliment can mean a lot. We all crave for some acknowledgement in life. Tell your spouse at some opportune moment, how much he/ she means to you. Acknowledgement is a great necessity in marriage; it fills the recipient with a sense of belonging and acts as an encouragement. If you’re not used to doing this, you may need some time to really think about what life would be like without your partner. 

Laugh

The couple that laughs together often stays together always. Modern life has resulted in all of us being tensed and worried for some reason or another all the time. Laughter goes on to ease that. Try to make one another laugh everyday! Too much serious talking can leave you both stressed out, making you both grumpy. Joking and having a good laugh every now and then is necessary for a happy married life. 


Share the responsibilities

The birth of a child often intensifies the stress in the household and creates a distance between husband and wife. Men normally tend to distance themselves from the entire situation, leaving the mother to feel alone and burdened with the responsibility of rearing the child. This is a wrong approach, for bringing up a baby requires the sharing of feelings and responsibilities of both parents.

Spend time with each other
 
Take a break and try to spend some time with each other from time to time. This tends to keep the romance alive and provides both partners a welcome relief from the hassles of family life. Even if you have a baby, arrange for a babysitter, and enjoy time as a couple. Go out to dine together, watch a movie or enjoy some game that you both like. Leave aside all worries for some time and enjoy life in the company of each other. You will be surprised at how refreshed you feel and these time offs will give you both a renewed energy and enthusiasm to face life.


Say “I love you!”

I Love You. Just saying these magic words now and then can help you keep the flame of romance burning in your life. Try it often. You will feel a visible difference, not only in your marriage, but in your entire family as well. Remember, happy couples are the foundation for happy families!

INTUITION

Many of us get into situations (relations) we at one point would’ve had doubts about, yet circumstances lead us to a different path, blocking out all the doubts, unsureness; and intuition that keep yelling at us to think twice. 

For some reason all of your uncertainties and even the hints don’t lead you astray because somehow you still wanna believe it can go your way.  In other words stupidity steps in and at the moment you only want to say “the heck with it.”

Unfortunately, the outcome is never good.  You are now resentful and regret eats you alive.  You now see the full picture for what it was and you not only feel angry, but betrayed and maybe even hurt.  By now you fully know how idiotic the whole situation was and you now bow to never ever let anyone get the best of you again.

You were played, so what.  Life goes on.  It happens to the best of us, and I for one strongly believe in karma.  Yes, it’s annoying to think you let someone in, to only be a stepping stone, but again life goes on.  His or her lost is someone else’s gain.  This person may have mislead you, but you allowed it to happen so let bygones, be bygones.  Move on and don’t stoop any lower than you already have.
Wanting to tell that person off is understandable, but it is certainly not worth it.


Copyright © 2012~ Susan B. Anna