Recreational: The third letter in S.P.R.I.N.T.
Recreational intimacy is all about being active together. It’s about finding things you each love to do and doing them together. It involves the two of you intentionally making time for one another. The experiences you share create memories and memories last a lifetime.
Will and I are adamant about dating each other. Over the last 30 years we have made it a priority. We intentionally choose a date night every two weeks. It does not have to be fancy and it does not have to be a huge financial investment. There were dates when our children were toddlers that consisted of a blanket and picnic on our living room floor. (There was no extra money for movies and dinner). We love to be active, so a majority of our date nights over the years consisted of tennis, pickle ball or golf. But, we do also love movies and live music. Dinner and dancing make for a great night out as well. Be creative. Be spontaneous.
**Will once told me we were going out for dinner to our favorite “fancy” restaurant. Little did I know that he had other plans. When we pulled up to a building downtown with large letters on top that read “SALSA DANCING”, I literally started clapping and screeching in the car.**
Besides being intentional about our date night every two weeks, we have always planned an overnight-date once every three months. In this crazy busy life the hectic pace we choose to take can be so overwhelming. Getting out of your home environment, just even for one night, can be MAGICAL. It’s not always an option to just pick up and leave town, but make it a priority to just get away, even for a night.
**Will and I were very fortunate to have an incredible village of support around us as we were raising our children. They loved to take a night and spend it at grandma and grandpa’s or an aunt and uncle’s house. So, even sneaking off to a hotel for a night or having the house to ourselves was special.**
So, we’ve got the date night and the overnight-date, and then comes the real treat… the vacation-date. If we can get away, once a year-just the two of us, on a vacation, wow, that’s special!! This is so important. We get so caught up in our jobs, our families, our housework, our day to day routines that sometimes we disconnect with our spouse or our parter. Just heading out of town and getting away can rejuvenate and ignite some passion and connection. It was harder when the kids were younger, both financially and being away from them. But, what a gift to our children, when we would both show up by choosing to intentionally invest in each other. We showed up better as parents, lovers and friends.
Those couples that play together… stay together. DATE your partner!!