Tags
caregiving, communication, compassion, forgiveness, fun, future, hope, ingredients, inspiration, joy, laughter, love, mental health, mental illness, mentally ill, recipe, relationship, relationships, silliness, wellness
I wish everyone with a mental illness could find a partner who loves and cherishes them for who they are. Most of the joy I experience in life is from having a relationship with my husband. He provides me stability, endless laughter, and the necessary support to rebuild my life each time it falls apart.
Next month, my husband and I will celebrate our eighteenth wedding anniversary.
Each relationship has its unique recipe and ingredients for making things work. I would say our recipe looks like this:
1 cup forgiveness
1 cup communication
1 cup laughter, silliness, and fun
1 cup hope for the future
1 cup commitment
1 cup support and encouragement for one another
1 cup believing in each other against all odds
1 cup compassion
1 cup caregiving
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl of love. Bake it for as many years as you possibly can – it’s never fully cooked, finished or ready – it is always a masterpiece in progress. You can eat from it year after year, and it will fill you up as it grows larger not smaller with each bite you take.