What's Your Secret?

As I was thinking earlier today about what I might write this evening, I thought about these words that someone once told me. "Jay, you are too much of a romantic. You think of love as though it were plucked out of a 1940s film. It's just not right. You need to come back down to reality."
You know, there might be a little truth in that statement. Perhaps, we do get a little carried away at times. But folks, I think when it comes to romantic relationships, we've relaxed our standards a bit much. Maybe, just maybe, we could stand to learn from those examples of yesteryear.
There is a reason that after 50 or 60 years of marriage, those same couples are still madly in love with each other. During my numerous visits to retirement communities, I have been able to hear so many wonderful stories from seniors and their “courting days.” 
Oft times, I will ask these wise folks, “What’s your secret?” 9 times out of 10, the answer is the same, “Never go to bed angry with one another.”
It is a sad state of affairs, folks. Many relationships, rather than being built on love and patience, are built on distrust and volatility. We look for all the wrong things in people. Instead of seeking out traits that will remain strong 40 or 50 years down the road, we would rather seek for things to satisfy what we desire in the here and now. Truly, what are we building our relationships upon?
Maybe it is a bit far-fetched to think of romance as a scene from a long-forgotten Cary Grant or Katharine Hepburn film from yesteryear. 
Maybe it is a bit far-fetched to think that our relationships will turn out exactly as those on the silver screen.
In light of all these things, dear friends, let’s not stop dreaming. We sell ourselves short when we settle for less than the best. Why do we wish to hurt ourselves so? Why do we feel that we deserve less than the very best?
I encourage you to seek out those long-lasting traits… those values that you hold dear… look for those in that special someone. There will indeed be moments of compromise – a little give here and a little take there. But if you seek out the right things in someone, you will find that both of you will be greatly blessed in the long run. 
Look not for the things that satisfy the desires of today, but look for the things that will sustain both of you through tomorrow. May God's will be done in all of these things.

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