Hopes and colourful dreams fly high when a man and woman decide to move on in the life's journey together. They eagerly look forward to enjoy each other’s company and live life to the fullest.
However, responsibilities like kids and other challenges gradually drift the couple away from each other. Many couple hardly realise that a widening gap is being formed between them. Each partner would be fully immersed in the tasks of solving life problems and hurdles. Some may even face extreme stress, affecting the mutual love and trust they once had.
At this stage, the couple may act like two people working in the same office, rather than life partners sharing a home.
However, by taking a few simple steps, the two persons can easily support each other as well as remain lifelong friends, bringing harmony at home.
Preparing the mind
Like any other task, a focussed effort is needed to improve the relationship between the partners. They should be prepared to make compromises and shoulder responsibilities.
When such an attempt is made, the display of love and care between a husband and wife can become simple as well as interesting.
A love letter
Keralites are generally reluctant to make an overt display of their love. This is true especially among couples. Many people believe that a man and woman, once they enter into matrimony, are bound to love each other for the rest of their lives and that there is no need for emphatic expression of love.
This notion has to be changed to bring the couple together.
But acting like teenage lovers would not help matters. Instead, the couple can write their plans, ideas and feelings in the form of a ‘love letter’.
If you wonder how to write the letter, simply begin just like any casual correspondence, enquiring about your partner’s well-being. Everything else will follow naturally.
Help each other
Many couples behave as if they are completing some tasks that they are entrusted with. To bring the partners together, this mechanical routine has to be shunned at all cost. The partners may ensure that each work at home is shared between them. A partner can also help the other in job-related activities and other responsibilities. There is no need to hesitate in seeking help from the other partner.
Express your love
Malayalam films have often highlighted typical Kerala households where the master of the house is a stern and serious patriarch. Those characters never go for an outward display of their love or affection.
Sometimes, the husband may try to be romantic, but the wife ignores all such overtures and goes about fulfilling the needs of the family. Such women characters, who are focussed on work, have also been quite common in Malayalam films.
Such concepts of husband and wife have undergone some change now. Still, Keralites show much less display of affection than other communities.
One may feel safe and secure with a partner whom you know loves you. But love that is expressed brings more happiness than that which is concealed.
Having fun together
When two partners carry out a task together, it also gives them an opportunity to understand each other. A man or a woman may not be the same person after five or ten years of marriage. In such a case, the partners need not recognise the other’s needs. However, when they jointly engage in some activities like reading a book or going to a movie, the partners get an opportunity to learn more about the other.
Exchange of thoughts, ideas and opinions between partners contribute to knowing more about each other and bringing them together.
Listening helps
Difference of opinion are natural when two individuals live together. Each partner may even have some grouses or complaints about the other. Many people choose to justify their positions or ignore criticism whenever the other partner raises a complaint. To ensure a long life together, this habit needs to be changes. Listen to the other. When a person is allowed to speak, most of his or her troubles would fade away. After hearing out the other partner, suitable corrections can be made to one’s attitudes or behaviour. This brings both partners closer, along with increased mutual trust.
