Marriage

I always include gratitude for my marriage in my morning meditation.  Love is a big part of it but, honestly, day to day, it's the Like that's incredibly meaningful.  I can love people that I don't like but if I don't like someone or don't find them interesting or have much in common with them then that's a big pain in the ass.

I spoke on the phone with a friend who has been married a long time.  His relationship with his wife has turned into more of a business relationship that centers around raising their two children than what I would consider a satisying marriage.  The next day I had lunch with a sponsee who is mired in a relationship with a woman who has some pretty significant emotional problems or hang-ups, at least, that makes his day to day life sound pretty miserable, but he has a small son to consider.  I don't think I have much to offer in the way of advice generally but when it comes to long-term relationships I've taken a vow of silence.  The complexity of these relationships is far beyond my ability to decipher and far, far beyond my ability to correct.  I'm continually amazed that people who I see as oil and water thrive and prosper while people who seem perfect for each other end up in a venomous mess.

It's my opinion that relationships - especially long term relationships - require adjustments from time to time.  I try to change as I grow older and so does SuperK so we're going to grow and change in ways that may be divergent.  It's important for us to nudge each other back onto a common path lest we find ourselves far apart and unaware of how it happened because the changes have been so small and so intermittent.

I paper-clipped a scrap of paper to my suit jacket this morning that said "Mr. Stephen E. Seaweed."  80% of the people at the meeting ignored it and those that didn't generally asked if it was there because I had forgotten my name.  

OK, that was pretty funny.

I wonder if part of the reason I tire of people so easily is that I'm so fully involved when I'm dealing with them?  Nah, probably not.  Actually I'm one of those people who can drift off into some irrelevant thinking when they're standing right in front of me.  That doesn't sound too engaged, does it?