Contrasting momentary romance with a constant state of love.
We are entering into the season of LOVE where our culture markets a consumer-driven picture of romance; encouraging the world’s idea that love is measured by material gifts, monetary value, and sensuality. As if these well-advertised lies weren’t hard enough to dismantle and refute before you had kids; I’m willing to bet that your mom bun, dirty leggings and constant state of overstimulation aren’t making it any easier to reject. The image they’re trying to sell; even just for a night– jewelry and flowers (specifically long stem roses), an expensive dinner (just the two of you), wine and dessert (top-shelf, and indulgent), and of course the night ends in lingerie. Now this idea heavily contrasts the “I Love You!” sticky note on your fridge, as you make a box of mac-n-cheese sipping a glass of $3 wine you bought at Aldi, still strutting the milk stained oversized t-shirt you stole from your husbands drawer. It’s no wonder that when we look to the world’s idea of love and romance, we feel our own relationships fall short and our efforts of love are in vain.
Romance by definition exudes a feeling of excitement and mystery, so when our relationships become mundane in routine, it’s no wonder we tend to believe the “romance is dead”. While the romance may dim with familiarity, the love is illuminated with trust and comfort. I encourage you to dismiss the notion that your love is dead or lacking because it doesn’t measure up to the world’s standards. If you seemingly live in clothes stained by the milk your body produced with love and intention for your baby, whom you created in love and union with your partner; if your dinner is consumed in a lovely chaos, curated with baby screams and casual conversation about the day; if your night is concluded by prayers and a goodnight kiss, with a little one snuggly wedged between you and your hubby; I assure you, your love is very much alive. As mothers and wives we not only receive love; but we create it, we give it, and we live within it, as a constant state.