Letter to My Younger Married Self – It’s Just Right!

Dear 26 year-old Carrie,

 

I send this to you to let you know that you’re doing the right thing.

I know how precious that feeling is to you.  I know that, even as you are in your early twenties and so unsure of what life holds after college, you know that you want to do the right thing.  Above all else, it is this desire that propels you in everything you do.  I should know, young Carrie, as I’m you many years down the road.

Joe is right for you.  And you can’t see it now, but he’ll be better than others that are coming down the pike.  He doesn’t look like the type you dream of, but he’ll outshine all of them.  Not because he’s taller or stronger, although he will be taller and stronger than every other guy you meet.  He won’t outshine the rest because he’s smarter than most, although he is.  And he’s not better because of his position in society or his money.

 

He’s better because he will accept you for you.  You know what I’m talking about.  That secret world you have inside of you that nobody knows about.  That secret person inside of you that you hide from everyone else.  You’ll be able to share all of that with him and he will understand and he will accept.  It might not seem that a guy like him would be impressed by a wallflower like you.  Here, in this college setting, everyone knows him while you remain nameless by most.  Don’t doubt that you have something to offer him that nobody else ever gave him.

 

You will grow with him and let him be himself.  You will help foster the best inside of him.  And he, in turn, will coax out of you some of the most amazing things.  Things you are afraid to say, afraid to write, afraid to admit about yourself.  Let him be that strong man you need by showing him you are the strong woman he can enjoy.

 

Just be gentle with him.  This road will lead you through dark places.  Accidents.  Deaths.  Operations.  There will be times you question your very self.  And he will be there to hold you and put you back together.  When nobody understands, he WILL understand.  

 

When the baby dies, he won’t stop loving you.  He will convince you that you are not ugly.  He will help you find yourself again.  

 

Nobody will ever get under your skin or occupy your thoughts like he will.  Conversations with others will pale in comparison.  People won’t believe how happy you make each other.  It will be an amazing road.  

He’s very convinced of the correctness of his thinking.  And he will think you’re the only one for him.  Let him be right.  

Love, 38 year-old Carrie

 

iLoveStrong’s Top Super Bowl Commercials 2014

The Super Bowl Commercials this year were very similar to the game. Very boring. Who knew that you could have so many car commercials jammed into one football game. Since Strive 2 Succeed in Marriage & Coach Keith love sports and relationships, , we were able to find some great one’s that focused on Love, just like last year’s post. Here they are!

Honorable Mention – Bad Prom Night (Turbo Tax)- Because I had one of these, my junior year.

# 5 – The Stud Cow – You know I have to throw the one sexually explicit commercial in there. Since it’s all about relationships.

#4 – Puppy Love – I loved this commercial because sometimes even though we may seem incompatible to other people, we can’t help who are friends are, or who we Love.

#3 – Make Love not War (Axe Commercial) – This was good because, you weren’t expecting the outcome. Sometime’s that is how love is. It’s not always nice and neat.

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#2 – Cheerios – This commercial was fantastic because it had a gamut of emotions. I was glad they did another commercial especially  since the first commercial that introduced this family had so many haters. It was great to see the love of this interracial couple and the love between father and daughter.

#1 – Tuesday is World Cancer Day – With no words being said, this was clearly my favorite commercial. As the husband was driving miles to take his wife to her cancer treatment.  That’s pure love right there. Don’t Leave, that’s what you asked of me! Priceless.

 

Which ads spoke to you tonight when it comes to LOVE? Discuss!

Why can’t we love our spouse, like we love our dogs?

I know  you may think this sounds crazy, but let’s think about it. In 2011, Americans spent over $50 billion for their pets. According to the ASPCA, the first-year cost for a medium dog is $1580. And why do we spend that amount of money? Because we have the perfect relationship with our pet.

Let’s break it down, what makes the dog/human marriage perfect?

• It doesn’t matter what you are. They are dogs, and they are going to be dogs.
• You can’t change them into a horse, or a pig. They are going to be dogs.
• A dog doesn’t care what you do; it just loves you. (Dogs will even put themselves in danger to find you in the hospital.)
• A dog in only responsible for its half of the relationship. They bark, wag their tails, pant etc..
• Most humans have perfect relationships with their dog. They feed them, take it for walks, and might even for over board and buy quality clothes.

Most people can imagine this type of relationship with their dog, but WHY NOT WITH A WOMAN OR  A MAN.

STRIVER’s I would love to hear why not?