I’ve been looking forward to releasing this 200th episode for a long time, and I wanted it to be extra special. And while pondering that, a few months ago, a tragedy struck our family. My wife’s cousin, a bubbly, happy 29-year-old mother to three kids (ages seven, four, and one) went jogging with some friends on a Monday morning, like she usually did.
And after she was done, she put the jogging stroller in her car, she buckled up little kids and left the park. And as she went through an intersection, a drunk driver ran a red light and smashed into her car, killing Emily’s cousin instantly.
This is so tragic. And very heavy.
I’ve been pondering a lot about what happened. And in my mind’s eye, I imagine what the interaction was like between her and her husband the night before, while they were getting ready for bed, while they’re brushing their teeth. Did he realize that this is going to be the last night he had with his wife? When they left that morning, did they kiss goodbye? Did they realize that was going to be their last time together?
This event has really galvanized my wife and I. We’ve been thinking a lot about what it means for us in our relationship. And it’s really led me to cherish my wife a lot more.
My Personal Project
And so this set me out on a personal project to understand the concept of cherishing a little better.
This project has really changed me. It has changed me in my intimate interactions with my wife and with my children and with others. I’ve learned how to be a lot more present with them, less anxious.
And the way I make love to my wife has brought a different tone to our marriage.
It’s more connecting, it’s more real, it’s more eyes open. There’s a more genuine desire to be close to each other in our love making also.
To help me in my quest to better understand cherishing and what it means for me in my life and in my marriage, I’ve sought out a few mentors to help me and I’ve recorded our conversations. I’ve asked them just a simple question: “What does it mean to cherish your spouse?” And I just sat back and listened as these great teachers shared so many nuggets from their life experiences.
Because this topic has had such a big impact on me, and I didn’t want you to miss any of it, I’ve decided to split this into two podcasts episodes.
In this episode, you’ll get to hear from Dr. Jennifer Finlayson-Fife, Alana Martens (from Kingdom Sexuality), and Tony DiLorenzo (from One Extraordinary Marriage).
And in a special bonus episode on Monday, August 19, you’ll get to hear part 2 from Tammy Hill, Danielle Savory, and Alex & Kadi Dutton (from EveryLove Intimates).
Takeaways
As you listen to what these wise people say . . .
♥️ I hope you’ll listen with an open heart.
♥️ I hope it changes you as much as it changed me.
♥️ I hope this episode will inspire you to treat your spouse with a lot more appreciation and a lot more dignity.
♥️ I hope you’ll find greater strength to look past the trivial barriers that get in the way of true connection.
♥️ I hope it motivates you to put down the phone more often and to actually gaze into your spouse’s eyes.
♥️ I hope it motivates you to put your arm around him or her and hold them close, because you never know, today might be the last day you’ll be together for a long time.
