As many of you may know, I have a fantastic boyfriend whom I am currently living with abroad (see below).
We have been living together for 3 months now and in that time I have learnt quite a bit about cohabiting, but one thing stands out most in my mind and that is appreciation.
Much like every couple, we have our ups and downs. Luckily, the downs only make-up a small minority of our interactions, often ending quickly and on a light-hearted note.
What makes the ups so regular and downs so few you ask? A healthy amount of appreciation.
According to the dictionary this means; recognising and acknowledging the good qualities in another. However, I´d like to take it one step further and suggest that appreciation entails both recognising the good, but also the lack of bad.
Not only being grateful for all the kind daily gestures, but also acknowledging the things that someone foregoes for your sake. Maybe he hates the smell of popcorn so she makes sure not to eat it when he´s home. Maybe she doesn´t like having any light in the room at bedtime so he turns off all his gadgets before they retire.
Not all things are clear and direct and this is what´s so important. To take some time to not only focus on the good, but the absence of bad. For one day you may find yourself looking back on this time as the ´good old days´and you´ll wish you would have appreciated it more.
Of course, it´s vital to mention that the law of appreciation doesn´t just apply to romantic relationships. It plays a significant role in all connections, be they blood or otherwise.
So let´s all just take a moment to sincerely appreciate the one´s we love and extend a little gratitude their way.
The Blackberry Season 