Think about the last few movies you watched… or television shows… or books you read. What kind of relationship did the main characters have? Chances are good they were either falling in love or falling out of it.
Popular culture presents us very few examples of what an actual intimate relationship looks like. Most entertainment today focuses on one of two points in a relationship: the romance, or the conflict that comes after “the thrill is gone.” There is another aspect of relationships that we seldom see, and is something we do want to achieve. We have few models as to how to get there, or how to maintain it when we arrive. That something is intimacy.
While attending a recent wedding, three couples caught my attention, because of the qualities in their relationships. The first was the bride and groom, who were aglow with love and excitement. Their happiness was apparent and infectious.
“Relationships seek to obtain: Level flight, nice buzz, floating down the river, hitting rapids, “wee that was fun,” return to level flight.” Margaret Martin
“I don’t know where he stands in our relationship, but I’m glad he still thinks I’m girlfriend material. He still wants to have sex with me.”