Re-Kindling the Romance in Your Marriage
Romance is all about falling in love. Places of businesses known for attracting couples intentionally make the atmosphere of their establishments a certain way to generate romantic feelings. Think back on a place that you considered to be romantic. What did it look like? What did you hear? What did you feel? You can do the same thing in your own home. The key elements are lighting, color, and music.
Subdue lighting. Bright lights drive away romance. Turn ceiling lights off, put lamps on the dimmest setting or turn a different direction so that the light is not directly visible.
Use warm colors. Colors that elicit warmth and charm are usually darker, with red, purple, and scarlet or crimson hues. Royal blue, forest green, and rose brown can be used generously as well. All give the illusion of richness, fullness, and passionate desire.
Choose music that is soft and flowing. Romantic feelings are generated by the tickling of the senses. Soft piano, guitar, or harp music playing in the background relaxes muscles and allows them to feel more readily. Listen to the music ahead of time. Look for music that allows your mind to wander.
Do you feel that your marriage could use more romance?
In the movie "50 First Dates," Drew Barrymore plays the part of a young woman who looses her ability to move memories from short-term to long-term due to an unfortunate accident. Adam Sandler, in an effort to court her, realizes that he has to make her fall in love with him every day in order to keep her, as once she goes to sleep at night, she does not remember anything from the previous day.
Marriage can sometimes be that way. Two people fortunate enough to meet one another realize that they do not want to live without each other, and choose to marry. Once the newness wears off, everyday life takes its toll, and romance takes a back seat. Children enter the picture, careers make demands, and financial reality sets in.
In order for the marriage to continue, romance must be re-kindled on a regular basis. Just as a cake without frosting doesn't usually get eaten, marriage without romance becomes stale and unfulfilled. It may seem awkward at first, but as you look for opportunities to "court" your spouse, you will find an increased sense of romance, and with it, physical attraction.
Music is a great way to bring romance back into a relationship. You and your spouse may have a special song that reminds you of when you first came together. Perhaps you heard it on your first date, danced to it on a special occasion, or used it as part of your wedding ceremony. Bringing that beloved music into the home environment will bring back the romantic feelings associated with those memories.
Ideas for Increasing Romance
Idea
| Items Needed
| Desired Result
|
---|---|---|
Dinner by Candlelight
| Favorite foods, arranged childcare, soft music, candles, low overhead lighting
| Time alone together, enjoyable meal, uninterrupted visiting
|
South Sea Island
| Table or floor lamp with wicker lampshade with sheer red or pink fabric draped over, green plants and floors, Latin flavor music or ocean sounds, scented candle
| Intimate surroundings, exotic island feel, sensuous sights and smells
|
Moonlight Dancing
| Glow in the dark stars and moon on the ceiling, overhead lights down low, slow dancing music, move the furniture out of the way
| Create your own romantic setting any day, any time
|
Message Parlor
| Scented message lotion or oils, relaxation music, and overhead lights down low
| Rub each other all over with message lotion, paying specific attention to large muscles in the back, legs, and arms. Take turns helping each other relax and enjoy
|
My mother once told me that all marriages come to a time when the couple grows apart. Family responsibilities, careers, and community activities take us in many different directions. We come to a crossroads where we have to make a choice to either grow closer together again, or to separate.
Unfortunately, the later happens all too often. Couples begin to feel that they no longer matter to each other, that other things are more important. The feelings of attraction that were there initially have faded away. There aren't enough reasons to desire being together anymore.
The effort it takes to re-kindle love and affection are different when we are older than they were when we were young. It takes emphasis on different things. Our bodies change, and our emotional needs are much deeper. We no longer depend on the physical attraction we had when we first fell in love.
Yet, a refocus on physical intimacy, using more of an emotional basis than a physical one, is sometimes the very thing we need to re-kindle our romance. We find that taking the time to schedule it in, plan for it, prepare for it, and look forward to it, we can find something more, even than we had before!
Romance takes time and preparation
Before you dive head first into romance with the lights, candles, music, and action, take care of some home management basics:
- Put a lock on your bedroom door. You need your privacy and your children need to know that when mom and dad are behind locked doors, they are to go to their own rooms and go quietly to bed.
- Get rid of the clutter in your bedroom. Find someplace else to store things not currently in use. You need your private place to be a haven of peace and enjoyment, not a place where you go and feel guilty about all the other things you should be doing.
- Find a babysitter you trust. Leaving your children in someone else's care is a risk, no matter what their age. Find someone with similar values that you can trade babysitting with. You will be glad you did!
- Invest in a high quality bed. You want to be comfortable when you are being romantic. You will enjoy your time together more, and your spouse will feel like they are important to you if you go together and find something that you both like. It will mean the difference between being romantic and being ridiculous.
- Find a good sound system. Sound systems do not have to be expensive. You can find something that is useful and practical that will fit your budget. There are many options available. The most cost effect is an MP3 player with a speaker dock that allows you to move it readily from one place to another, and download your favorite songs from the Internet.
- Choose music that you love. Bringing the music you loved in your youth into your marriage will enhance your sense of being connected to your spouse. The right song playing at the right moment may bring on a kiss, a hug, or a squeeze of the hand. It may mean dancing in the kitchen in between stirring the stew, picking up your spouse and swinging them in your arms, or refreshing the closeness of intimacy.
When you are with your mate, choose romance by choosing activities and actions that bring you closer together, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Communicating on an intimate level, soul to soul, increases bonds of love exponentially. You will look forward to many happy years together!
This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.
© 2012 Denise W Anderson