The Thursday Jar

How do you spice up your marriage? Years and years ago, I had an older friend, Harry, who became a bit of a mentor.  We’d met through our respective consulting businesses.  He’d been around the block more times than I had, and he possessed something I lacked -- wisdom.  Harry had a way of distilling… Continue reading The Thursday Jar

First Kiss

What do you remember about your first kiss?  I’d speculate it wasn’t as traumatic as mine. The Hurley sisters lived right across Winston Road from our house. I vaguely remember them as twins or at least close in age, and a year or two older than my seven years. Adele Hurley and her sister had… Continue reading First Kiss

Sustainable Marriage

How emotionally connected are you to your husband or wife? To help answer this important question, I’m reposting a popular article from 2019, hoping it will be beneficial today for your marriage.  Sometimes timing is everything.  Enjoy. + + + + + + + I met my wife, Melissa, on a cycling trip on the… Continue reading Sustainable Marriage

What She Gave Up

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others better than yourselves.” Philippians 2:3 A week or so before our wedding, Melissa moved 700 miles south, giving up her cool Chicago apartment and a fun group of close friends. The day we wed at a small Moravian church in rural North… Continue reading What She Gave Up

You Make Me Feel Like Dancing

My wife, Melissa, is a fabulous dancer.  In describing what I do on the dance floor, she probably wouldn't use that same adjective. But we have fun. I liken the emotional life of a married couple to a "dance" -- ideally with a husband leading his wife, moving in unison around the floor.  When it’s done… Continue reading You Make Me Feel Like Dancing

As Time Goes By

At one time, I thought I’d written the book on romance. I packed picnic baskets, composed poetry, cooked meals extracted from Food & Wine magazine, spent hours in greeting card shops, arranged flowers, lit fires, collected bronzes and vintage wines, preferred "chick-flicks" to “blow-‘em-ups", and I knew all the best city vantage points and restaurants.… Continue reading As Time Goes By

Sustainable Marriage

I met my wife, Melissa, on a cycling trip on the Oregon coast.  I obviously caught her by surprise on our group’s last night together at a Portland restaurant, when I asked for her number.  I used some line that made her smile.  Before the evening was out, she shared her info, and so we… Continue reading Sustainable Marriage