Credit: Craig Honeysett/iStockOkay, so, it's sort of a trick question, but I as I was reading "5 Couples Reveal: 'The Extreme Ways We Saved Our Marriages'," I couldn't help but wonder how far I'd go to keep it together with the wonderful man I'm dating now.
The article leads: "Would you send your husband to boot camp? Install a stripper pole in your bedroom? As these five couples discovered, when love is on the skids, sometimes you have to take a big risk to get it back on track.
Every marriage has its ups and downs, but when you hit a really rough spot, where do you turn? Sure, there's couples counseling, but not every couple (and definitely, let's face it, not every guy) takes to it. In fact, just as every relationship is different, so is the recipe for fixing it. When you've got a good thing going - even if your relationship isn't as solid right now as you know it can be - it's worth taking some risks to hold on to it. And for people ready to try anything, there are some awfully imaginative ideas out there. Here, what these five real-life couples did to get back on the road to happily ever after."
My boyfriend and I have been together for over two years, and I can definitely see a real future with him. If I thought that future was slipping away from me, I think the better question might be, "What WOULDN'T I do to save my love?" But, I guess like the Meatloaf song of yore, there's always somewhere you'd draw the line. ("But, I won't do thaaaat...")
We were long-distance for the first year of that time, so, I can completely understand the first couple in the piece who lived apart for nine months to make it work. Being cross-country (as we were) is hard, but it does force you to clarify your priorities, and can make you realize you're better together than alone. That being said, I think it would be too painful for me to go back to that kind of distance now.
The stripper pole, though - personally, that's something I would consider. It seems like a great workout, and the way the husband in the article describes the effect pole dancing had not just on the marriage as a whole or their sex life, but on his wife as a person, makes it sound pretty freeing:
"When she came home from the very first class, there was something different - she had an extra bounce in her step. Over the next few weeks, she became a totally different woman - energetic, confident. The classes brought a spark to our relationship, not just sexually but mentally and emotionally too. A lot of women get stressed out with kids, work, taking care of the house; pole dancing gave my wife something to look forward to, something that's just for her. I truly believe it's one of the main reasons our relationship is so good today."
How about you? What's the most extreme thing you've done (or would do) to save a relationship? Where do you draw the line?
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