Have a Passion for Your Life
To g e t h e r
So you two met and fell in love and resolved to spend your
lives together. And you are, I hope. But at what level? I’m not
being funny here, but serious (for once). Just sort of living
together, going through the days, not really connecting isn’t
good enough, I’m afraid. You have to have a passion for your
life together. A what? A passion. Being together has to be
a strong bond, a common sharing of experience, a dream-
fulfilling romance that carries you both along. Love isn’t for
the half dead, the sound asleep (or even the merely dozing
off), the can’t-be-bothered-to-make-the-effort-anymore. You
have to make the effort. You have to stay awake, in touch, in
tune. You have to share dreams and goals and ambitions and
plans. You have to have passion for being with each other.
Look, I know that all relationships go through peaks and
troughs. I know we get complacent and even a little bored at
times. But you are dedicating your life to someone else’s hap-
piness in a way, and that requires focus, strength, passion,
drive, enthusiasm, and effort. What’s that? You’re not dedicat-
ing yourself to someone else’s happiness? Then what are you
doing? That’s what a relationship is all about in a sense. And if
you’re not doing that, what do you think you are doing?
Yo u h a v e t o r e a l l y c a r e , t o s t i l l b e i n l o v e , t o w a n t y o u r p a r t n e r
to be fulfilled, successful, happy, complete.
In an ideal world, you only get one crack of the whip at this.
(I know that lots of people have several partners over a life-
time, but I assume the aim is always to stay together for life
and not to get divorced.) This is your chance to have a really
good, strong relationship based on mutual trust, responsibility,