As for us, in 10 years, we’ve been blessed with two sons. They are our inspiration and they keep our lives colorful, so to speak. We wouldn’t also call it an easy journey since we are a special needs family, our eldest son has autism. 

Just the same, we are grateful because we can manage and provide for his needs. The therapies can be financially draining but, again, we are thankful because I can earn extra from blogging, and that augments our monthly income. Our second son, meanwhile is at the peak of his curiosity and playfulness. He is due to start in little school soon, so we are getting ready for that.

In terms of our relationship, what are the important lessons that I’ve learned? Well, here are some of the nuggets of wisdom that, hopefully, you would also find valuable:

That’s the truth and only if you realize that will your relationship truly work. This principle is also very similar to setting the right perspective and creating realistic goals. We are all imperfect and we are bound to commit mistakes. We can’t master everything, so we can’t always demand things that are otherwise unrealistic to our partners.

For example, if we know from the beginning that cooking is not one of their strengths, don’t expect them to whip up a gourmet feast. You can work as partners – you can cook and assign the food prep and cleaning of the dishes after your meals to your partners. That’s what we do and it has worked well for us.

This one doesn’t need any explanation. Our lives are composed of different aspects – work, family, hobbies, our friends, etc. Ideally, we have to strive to create balance among these facets; work puts food on the table, our hobbies keep us sane, and our friends are our support system. However, if we are to prioritize from those, we should always choose family above everything else. 

I would also go much further and say that, as partners, you have to prioritize each other’s well-being, even above your children. That’s one of the biggest lessons that I kept in my heart and mind during our pre-marriage seminar.

We should appreciate the little things that our partner does for us. Small things like preparing our lunch for work, giving us small gifts, and even giving us the best seat, say, on public transport should be appreciated. You should feel like a winner if your partner does these things for you.

Don’t lose the glow of love even if you’ve been together for a long time. Try to still do the things that you enjoy as a couple – go on a date in your favorite restaurant, travel together, surprise your partner with a small gift during special occasions, talk often especially during mealtime, keep the intimacy burning, and just try to be present for each other all the time.

These, for me, are the simple guidelines for achieving a happy and healthy relationship. These are all straightforward and very practical.

On a different note, you might be asking how we celebrated our 10th anniversary. Well, we just took the kids to the mall and ate in our favorite restaurant. It was family time and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

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