It's a mouthful. If I were playing the game Dictionary with my family I am not sure what definition I would concoct.

The actual meaning is the tendency to gradually feel less joy from love, or conversely less sorrow at its loss.

This summer there have been a clutch of weddings, and often the couple will write sappy posts.

"Two weeks until I get to marry my best friend!"

"Tomorrow we walk down the aisle and into our life together!"

Sometimes I jab myself. They are anticipating with mounting excitement something that I have every single day. Why have I become hedocily adapted to it? All those newlyweds want is to be married. When did it become not enough for me? 

There is an article about four research based ways to increase gratitude. Some are no surprise, like counting your blessings. Literally. That daily habit can deflect depression, increase resilience and boost relationship satisfaction. It sure works for me when we do appreciations and brag time in marriage group. 

But another tactic is called mental subtraction. It is the short version of It's a Wonderful Life, in that you are supposed to imagine what the impact would be if you subtracted something you value. Like your marriage, or your eyesight, or your income, or your kids. Or the sense of smell, or the ability to laugh. Just marinate on those scenarios for awhile and gratitude jumps a few notches without anything changing. 

Last night my daughters and I played not Dictionary but In the Manner of the Word and Freeze! which are improv games. I laughed so hard I could barely catch my breath. It was a poignant reminder that humor and my children render me a very blessed human being.