The fresh, pine-scented air filled our lungs, refreshing tired bodies and spirits.
Our fingers laced together in the silence. We drove this way for a long time. Hours. We had been given this amazing opportunity to spend a few uninterrupted hours exploring one of our nation’s most beautiful treasures. Hour upon hour to reconnect, talk, reflect, connect.
Connect we did, but in silence.
Not the edgy silence wrapped in the chill of anger; nor the awkward silence of a first date in which the course of conversation ran out long before. No, this was the silence of connection; contentment.
It had been so long since we had been alone together for any significant amount of time. Our hearts, minds and souls needed to decompress; to breathe. And what better place than this, with the pine trees tall in the sky and icy waters raging below. Oh, we would talk every now and then. Commenting on the wildlife or ideas for lunch or a random thought to float across our minds. But mostly we drove. And we listened. And we connected. A kiss stolen here and there, lots of contented sighs and the blessed, blessed silence. It was a great way to reconnect in marriage.
Did we have important things we really needed to discuss in the absence of our three angelic-but-energy-sucking children? Absolutely. Were there some important life decisions we probably should have broached again? Sure. But before we could communicate on anything deeper than surface level we just needed to be together.
To be still and just…be together.
A week or two later we were blessed with a full night away to celebrate our anniversary. I’ll tell you, living overseas away from family who can watch three kiddos overnight can be rough. It can be hard to find those times to get away and reconnect. So when my husband’s brother and his wife agreed to keep our kids for a night we jumped at the chance!
You know what? Because of those hours we spent a week or two before just being together, reconnecting – getting used to our own skin again as a man and a woman more than just a dad and a mom – we were able to have some of those big conversations and rehash some of those life decisions. And we were energized for it, defenses were down.
I know, sweet friend, there are things in your marriage you need to discuss. Big things and issues and decisions and celebrations. But every now and then take time to just…be. together.
The Bible instructs us to “Be still and know that I am God…” (Psalm 46:10)
The Bible also says marriage reflects the relationship between Christ and the church. So I don’t think it is any coincidence that it is good for our marriages to stop talking sometimes, turn off the tv, the radio, the iPad, etc, etc and just be still and know one another.
How about you? Do you and your hubby ever take time to just be? How do you find it affects your marriage?