I discovered something interesting. A relationship, although preceded by a definite article, is not a noun. It is a verb. Human beings are not nouns either, they are verbs.
Humans are growth-seeking beings and so we are in a state of flux, ever moving, ever shifting, ever growing and expanding. Even if we choose to be virtually inert (like a certain member of my family), the autonomic nervous system dictates that the body constantly shifts and rebuilds itself.
Yet, when we think of relationships, we think of them as a thing, something static. You are with me, I am with you, we have chosen each other, we are together. It is easy to think of relationships this way because then we can relax, sit on the couch, grab the remote and stop dating…
However, the concept of assigning permanence, or the quality of a noun to a relationship is what makes it scary for some people and what makes it stop growing for most. If we were to only look at our relationships as processes, we would have to notice the flow and go with it, for God’s sake! Our eyes would have to be open as we cast them anew upon our Beloved every day.
By thinking of our romantic relationships (and all relationships, really) as verbs, we can embrace the dawn with new eyes, addressing the issues of the day and greeting them with open arms – ready for the shift, ready for the challenge, ready for the adventure, ready for the new love…every day. This is authentic. This is vibrating at the same level as a relationship instead of turning a blind eye to what is happening in the moment. This is presence. This is consciousness.
Carpe diem.
