Skip to main content

Turning toward one another

What a great opportunity it is for us as humans to be able to direct our attention on those around us to be able to increase both of our levels of happiness and further our progression.
As I sit here writing this, I’m watching a father and his baby. The father is trying to stay engaged in his class as he stands outside of it listening while holding his wiggly baby. The baby in a way is “bidding” for the attention of his father, and his father is responding in a positive way. Caring for him, yet doing his best to also stay engaged in the necessities of life.
This can be similar and true in our adult relationships. Whether it be with a spouse or with a best friend or roommate. There are going to be times when they “bid” for attention. It may not be in our face, but if we are aware, we will recognize times when we can better “turn towards one another.”
Think of the last time you stopped to help someone in need. It could have been your spouse as you came home from a long day at school or work, and they were cooking a meal. Or maybe it was your roommate who had a long day, and you took a break from your homework to talk and catch up with them. There are many opportunities throughout the day for stopping what we are doing to help someone else. Have you noticed that when you take the time to help, you are also helping and increasing the satisfaction within your relationship? 
There is a short and sweet example of caring for our spouses. Martha Arnell shared her experience by saying that she does things with her husband that she wouldn't necessarily say she enjoyed. However, because she makes the sacrifice and does these things like camping and hunting with her husband, she feels a closer connection with him. In return, her husband is more likely to do things that she would enjoy, and shape their lifestyle in a way that they are both being fulfilled. This principle rings true to me because I know that we are better able to connect with someone when we take time to see things from their perspective, and even do things that they enjoy doing.
I have a belief that the satisfaction within a marriage can be determined on the trust and respect that is found within the marriage. Trust and respect are better developed as the couple learns how to turn toward one another.
How and when will you better turn toward someone that you care for?




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Building Friendship and overcoming the natural man Week 5

I have couples in my life that I look up to because of their sweet relationships with one another. Think about it, aren’t there those people in your lives who you just admire and long to have a relationship such as there? I can tell you one thing. They most likely had a bond before they got married. They were each others friends, and now they are the best of friends continuiong to overcome the natural man such as the scripture in Mosiah 3:19 mentions. “For he natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit , and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child  In order to maintain those healthy relationships with out spouses, and need to treat them as our best friend and someone we desire to have by our side. Dr. John Gottman, in his book  “The Seven Principles for Making Marriage ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Effects of divorce on children

Divorce can be a really world shattering event for children. Imagine how hard it is for the parents to cope after so many years of living together, and then think about how it is just as hard for children to get used to the shook lifestyle that they are now living.  Did you know that there is a specific classroom setting for students whose parents have divorced?We hear so many studies of the effect that divorced parents have on children, and it seems only right that we train our children how to deal with it.  Children can learn how to cope with the mixed up life, and they can learn terms and words such as "joint-custody" etc...  It is also a great experience for children to talk with other kids and understand that it's not a weird event that occured in their lives. It is a lot more common than we think. In fact, it's very sad to think of how common it is. While all of this might seem like I good idea for the children, I was questioning whether ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Diminishing Pride

The topic of pride is such an eye opening thing to speak about. We have to release our pride to even talk about the fact that we may be prideful. It has been interesting to me that pride can occur in various forms. The first example of pride I would think about would be an arrogance in talents. When we are skilled at something and we know it and dwell on that fact, then I see that as a form of pride. However, pride can come in our thoughts. Ezra Taft Benson- a former LDS prophet explains more about pride in a talk titled “Beware of Pride.” During this talk he explains that sometimes it’s our mindset that we have that shows pride in our lives. A competitive mindset is a prideful mindset.          Looking at my life right now, I have seen several prideful moments because of how competitive and perhaps self-centered I can be at times. This feeling of being better than someone takes away our focus from others, and causes us to be left with a miss...
Post a Comment
Read more