The one lesson that I continue to learn is that the best, most rewarding things in life are often the hardest. Over the past (almost) 3 years, marriage has revealed itself to been one of those things – it’s very challenging and also so amazing This blog is a quick look into one of the biggest lessons that marriage continues to teach me.
Fun fact, we had two weddings #COVID
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It’s a team effort.
The one piece of advice that any married couple will share is that communication is so important. Having been married for a little while now, I’d like to share my perspective as to why communication is so important. It might seem obvious but being married means being part of a team; a unit, if you will. The relationship is one where two unique individuals “me’s” become one unified “us” and that’s hard because we are all selfish beings (that’s part of what it means to be human).
Listen to our marriage podcast.
One of the biggest struggles that we’ve experienced in marriage (and will continue to experience) is how to grow as individuals while also growing as a couple (in the same direction). In other words, how we do we each grow forward as Joe and Michaela without growing apart. That’s part of what requires clear, consistent and open communication – we need to be able to manage the dynamic balance between what we need for me(s) and what we need for us.
“What greater thing is there for two human souls, than to feel that they are joined for life–to strength each other in all labor, to rest on each other in all sorrow, to minister to each other in silent unspeakable memories at the moment of the last parting?”
George Eliot
One of the biggest blessings that comes with marriage is having a teammate who can lift you up, help you out and encourage you when you need it most. It’s having someone who sees all of our flaws and still chooses to love us over and over again. That choice of love shows up in action and there are certain times when I need to give a little extra to our team and other times I need a little extra from our team (i.e. Michaela). This fluid ebb and flow of effort is part of what also requires clear, consistent and open communication – we need to know what each other needs (and then act on it).
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In due time, I feel like I could write a book on marriage but there’s still a lot to learn (and there always will be). I love getting to share life in such an intimate way with my best friend and I wouldn’t be who I am or doing what I am without her. If you’d like to hear more about our marriage, I would recommend listening to the podcast episode earlier in the blog and for now, let me end this blog with one of the first movies that my wife and I ever watched together…
“I am nothing special, of this I am sure. I am a common man with common thoughts and I’ve led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten, but I’ve loved another with all my heart and soul, and to me, this has always been enough.”
Nicholas Sparks
Endure with purpose.
Joe Rinaldi
IG: @joearinaldi
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