​​​​​Our family dog just celebrated her 12th birthday (or 84th if you ask my kids) and we spent the evening making her peanut butter bone sandwiches… picture two dog bones stuck together with loads of peanut butter and frozen to create the perfect treat. My husband and I also shared numerous stories of our pup’s early years and the dozens of antics she stirred up around the house. Our kids were in a fit of contagious laughter as they heard us add story after story to the “remember when” pile about our beloved family dog and all the crazy she’s brought to our lives.

And I still have a smile on my face writing this, because walking down memory lane together brought back a lot of memories from my husband and I’s early years of marriage. Our dog’s life and our marriage started months apart so the stories of one lead to stories of the other.

As you walk through harder paths, it’s important to be sure and visit memory lane too. Memory lane lets you integrate the “story of us”. It lets you connect with the bittersweet of the past, the good, the bad, the triumphs, the pitfalls… all showing how the two of you have walked through it together. Memory lane is a beautiful reminder of how the two of you have evolved as a couple. Where you’ve been and where you’re headed.

And that’s my encouragement to you this week…

Play “remember when?” Spend some time walking down memory lane… and see just how far you’ve come.

​Yours,

-A

If walking down memory lane reminds you of some wounds from the past that still contain a sting… please reach out for support. Give your relationship the gift of healing and walking forward from hurts that have stacked up along the way.