This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Oregon chapter.
Oh sweet, sweet love. As another one of my parents’ wedding anniversaries approaches, I want to consider what really works in a relationship. So, pop open the champagne to celebrate and read on what I’ve learned about love over the years.
- Flowers Hold the Power You never know how much flowers mean to you until you receive them from a loved one. An unexpected gesture, like a bouquet of your favorite flowers delivered to your doorstep or a row of petals leading to someplace or someone special, leaves a big, powerful impact. Flowers exclaim feelings of love, support, and kindness. Nothing bad comes from a fragrant, living flower. Wedding days include flowers all over the place; whether it’s in the bouquets or down the aisle. One of my personal favorites is carnations because they’re known as the longest-lasting flower. I only dream of having them incorporated on my wedding day to symbolize happily ever after with my prince charming.
- Cards Speak Louder Than You Think Ever find yourself searching for the perfect card for the perfect someone? It’s difficult, mostly because the card you pick says a lot about what you think or value about the relationship. Do you choose the funny farting buffoon card or do you choose the mushy, lovey-dovey card? Sometimes cards can be really impersonal, but cards don’t have to be that way, they can say more than the printed note inside. I pour my heart and soul out into cards for my loved ones. I want them to know and remember that I cherish our relationship. Writing a thoughtful message affirming your love and remarking inside jokes can be all it takes.
- Reminisce the Pastimes Take a moment to appreciate how far your relationship has developed and surpassed its obstacles. Looking back at the bad times could bring a sense of relief, laughter, and gratitude. But don’t forget about the amazing, fun, reckless good times, either. Try to find the meaning behind them in order to understand how they’ve shaped the person you are today. Social media comes in handy by letting you express your most defining moments. Use it to show your love for another person by sharing a post with a heartfelt or clever caption. My dad produces YouTube slideshows displaying all of our favorite memories together for a family member’s birthday, graduations, memoirs, etc. I expect that he’ll make another video honoring their fifteenth wedding anniversary this year, too. It’s the little things like social media posts that can brighten your partner’s day.
- Discovery of New Place and Rediscovery of New Found Love Keeping relationships fresh and exciting with your significant other can be a struggle. So why not venture the world together? It can be as simple as trying a new restaurant together or as spontaneous as a mini honeymoon vacation together. As long as you’re enjoying each other’s company without any distractions (aka: the children or cell phones), you’re doing it right. Exploring new ground allows the possibility of learning something new about each other, maybe a new found love for the person you’re with.
- Traditions Matter An anniversary is a tradition in itself. The purpose of anniversaries is to make you look back at how you’ve changed and grown as a couple. They’re sacred, personal, annual reminders of the special bond you share with others. My parents’ tradition of going out to dinner together on their anniversary never gets old. But you could also get creative by reliving your first date. Pretend you don’t know each other, ask the get-to-know you questions, use cheesy pick-up lines, experience the butterflies in your stomach feeling all over again—all of it! The results may surprise you and make for a fun tradition to look forward to each year, even if it’s just recreating an eighth-grade date to the movies.
Take it as you will, I’ve learned what true love really looks like according to my parents’ example. Happy Anniversary, lovebirds! I love you!
[Memes courtesy of GIPHY in order of appearance: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]