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As a married couple, John and I often get caught up in the demands of daily life. We worry about the tasks we need to accomplish, the events we need to attend and the chores we need to complete. We run through our days and do our best to cross items off our "to do" lists. At the end of the day, we sometimes collapse into bed and realize we have been too busy to take a few minutes for each other.
When we find that this busy lifestyle is becoming a habit, it is helpful to turn to the church for some assistance in reprioritizing. The beautiful document Lumen Gentium offers the following wisdom:
"Furthermore, married couples and Christian parents should follow their own proper path (to holiness) by faithful love. They should sustain one another in grace throughout the entire length of their lives."
Taking a minute to focus on these words reminds us of the reason we are married. We are not married just to finish our household chores and take turns shuffling our kids to their activities. We are married to follow the path to holiness and "sustain one another in grace." If I make this a focus of my day, I am more careful to pray for John when we are apart. I think about what I might do to make his day a little brighter and to help his faith grow a little stronger.
Keeping in mind the thought that John and I are called to sustain each other this way throughout the entire length of our lives helps me to keep daily tensions in perspective. I remember that the stress of today is just a tiny fraction of our entire life together. I know that each and every day offers me a new chance to be more loving.
