Priorities

I’ve lived long enough to know that the immediate can slowly push the important out of the way.

Not because love disappears.
Because attention gets consumed elsewhere.

Life gets crowded.
Responsibilities multiply.
Careers grow.
Kids need things.
Schedules become exhausting.

And slowly, the relationship that once felt central
starts surviving on whatever energy is left at the end of the day.

I’ve seen it happen in so many middle years of life.

Two people sincerely love each other.
They build a family together.
Build careers together.
Build a life together.

But somewhere along the way, they stop building them.

Conversations become logistical.
Connection becomes occasional.
Presence becomes fragmented.

And honestly, the dangerous part is that it can all look successful from the outside.

Good kids.
Nice house.
Busy calendar.
Productive life.

Meanwhile, two people quietly drift into becoming coworkers managing a household.

I heard someone say the other day
that they were too old for romance.

That made me sad.

Not because romance is about flowers or dramatic gestures.

But because romance is really about pursuit.

Still noticing each other.
Still laughing together.
Still touching each other in passing.
Still protecting space for connection in the middle of real life.

And yes, kids are deeply important.

But I’m starting to believe one of the greatest gifts we can give our children is parents who still genuinely love being close to each other.

One day, the schedules calm down.
The house gets quieter.
The kids build lives of their own.

And when that season comes, the relationship underneath everything else finally gets exposed for what it became.

That made me think...

Maybe love is not sustained by intensity nearly as much as intentionality.

“Above all, love each other deeply...”
1 Peter 4:8

What’s something important that deserves more of your attention again?

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