As I was thinking about my hubby and marriage today I got to thinking just how similar it all is to a successful garden. I know, your going "wtf" is she talking about but, just hear me out. When you think about it there are several aspects that are the same. First you decide you'd like to have a garden (marriage). You carefully select the perfect plant (mate) that you want to put in your garden according to its' traits. (What does it need from you to grow and become the best it can be, while contemplating what does it have to offer you in return) Now you place that perfect plant in your garden (marriage) and you tend to its' needs lovingly. You communicate with each other. (if a plant isn't happy it let's you know) You make sure that the soil (home) is a warm, welcoming and comfortable place to put its' roots in. You provide plenty of room for it to grow (relationships with you and others) You make sure it has enough sunshine (happiness) along with enough shade (alone time) as it needs. You provide the right amount of water (understanding) and food (sex). You give it support and admire it in all stages of its life. Constantly striving to keep it (marriage) alive. Weeding (dealing with the reality of the outside world) is a necessary chore, unpleasant perhaps but a very important job none the less. Then you decide you want to expand your garden (have children) and you plant some seeds. And in no time it seems that you have some little plants that need tending to. Being young they need a lot of nurturing and seem to take up a whole lot more of your time, energy and attention. Yet you give them all that they need and more because you are a master gardener! But you must remember not to neglect your first perfect plant (spouse) and continue to keep it happy so that the young plants can see it as an example of what they can become. When they've become adult enough, you offer them as a gift to someone else who would like a garden and who will continue to love and care for them and make them happy. But in the meantime your perfect plant (spouse) has been there through it all, growing and ageing along with you. Sometimes having to take the back seat but not minding because it knows that not only does it have a great home with lots of sunshine, food and water it also has what every living thing wants....unconditional love.
marriage