Willingness to grow

It’s just a guess {but a reasonable one I think}, but a hallmark of a really great relationship is manifest in each person’s willingness to grow during the relationship.

A few weeks ago, a guy I know who has been married for about 7 years told me that he heard that every person undergoes some major personal growth and development approximately every 7 years. This is just part of life (hence the well-known ‘7-year itch’). He said that at first he was resistant to the changes since it meant he would be different from the person his wife fell in love with and vice versa, that she would also be different. But then he said something profound {at least to me}… He said that he realized that this growth that happens gives him the opportunity to fall in love with his wife again for who she is today. How cool is that?

I have been in a few really long term relationships. Some of them I came out a better person, some of them I have resisted the change and the implications I thought those changes meant and would bring to the relationship. Unfortunately I think I denied myself, and the guy, the chance to grow together and see how we weathered that growth together.

Inevitably relationships change. Right now I am in the “oh-so-giddy and willing to stay up unreasonably late for a girl my age” phase. I know that soon we will settle into a routine and still be excited to see each other and to learn new things about each other, but it naturally and inevitably becomes a different phase in the relationship. How awesome would it be to take each phase and the changes that come with that phase and learn to fall in love with your spouse or boyfriend, or girlfriend again?

So my Mr. Future Someone {and no, I am not inserting a specific name here because I just don’t know yet…}, be willing to change with me, and to grow with me, and to find new and exciting ways to fall in love with each other time and time again.