Thirty years ago, I met the love of my life. Belinda and I met in college and soon afterward began dating. One of our first outings was a trip to a local park. We sat by a running stream and talked about our hopes and dreams for the future.
We also talked about our fears and disappointments. We shared deeply, holding nothing back. We felt close and connected and couldn’t help talking about how we were falling in love.
We realized that our relationship was important to both of us, and as time went on, the prospect of a future spent apart seemed unthinkable.
We agreed to marry, and on a warm summer day we were united in a small town church surrounded by friends and family. The priest who witnessed our vows declared that what God had joined together could never be separated, and our matrimonial bond was sealed for the rest of our lives together.
We settled into married life and began to focus on our careers. We were blessed with the gift of new life, and our relationship began to revolve around children and family.
As the years went by, the attention we paid to our couple relationship became less frequent. We began looking for some way to bring more romance and passion to our marriage.
Eventually, we decided to attend a Marriage Encounter weekend. After listening to the stories and suggestions shared by the presenting couples and priest, we began communicating with each other on a deeper level than we had ever imagined was possible.
During that weekend 20 years ago, we learned skills that we still use today to keep our marriage passionate and romantic. We believe that every married couple deserves the blessing and gift of a Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekend.
