Perhaps the restless feeling that is my companion this month is because of a decision I made last year. After a long run of enjoyable Marriage Conferences it seemed like it was time for a shift. To what, I didn't know. So without being able to visualize the next step, I ended a Valentine's Day tradition.
Somehow I trusted that a New Idea would knock on my door and introduce herself with a disarming smile. But here it is a few days before the weekend that has usurped a large chunk of my creative energy for the past thirteen winters, and there is still a vacancy.
Not that a hiatus is in itself a negative. Sabbaticals, vacations, and fallow time are all intrinsic parts of a vibrant cycle. Relentless churning without reprieve takes a toll.
But my resolve for supporting relationships aches to take action. I am grappling with the precise paradox that is closer and more invisible than the air we breathe.
Ours is a culture that blows the budget on weddings. Caterers, floral extravaganzas, ornate table settings, a gown to outshine all gowns, and a honeymoon to an exotic spot are all becoming the norm. Professional planners have no trouble talking a bride into engraved party favors, or a four tiered cake with marble frosting. The videographer captures it all on film because it's hard to even pay attention when everything happens in a blink.
But what's next?
How does a couple support their commitment? There are no systems in place that I can find. Suggesting that a couple have a strategy, any strategy, for feeding their relationship is a hard sell. So I will wait awhile. Let the fallow time do its thing. Maybe if I am quiet long enough I will hear a knock.
