This picture reminds me of Chris and I in the kitchen... I often can be washing the dishes and he will come behind me for a cuddle.. I still blush and giggle like a school girl! I usually go weak at the knees when he kisses the back of my neck, and I turn around and kiss him passionately. Finally, we break away, breathless with romance and laughter! Most times, he then pitches in and helps me finish washing up.
This little dalliance of ours to us is quite romantic and that coupled with the fact that Chris helps me with the dishes, makes me feel nurtured and happy- it doesn't take a lot for me! Which is good, because money is short for a lot of flowers and chocolates.
We do go out together for meals whenever we can salt away a little money. Nothing too expensive, but we bring our own ambiance! Just looking into each others' eyes and holding hands over the table reminds us of our early days together and keeps us focused on each other. Truly, we do adore each other.
Because money is in short supply, and because we constantly laugh together and cuddle often, we feel that special occasions such as Christmas, birthdays and Valentines' Day aren't necessary to show affection and love. We in fact, do not buy gifts for these for each other. And it is perfectly fine with us. We do, however look at our wedding photos and reminisce a lot on our anniversary or any other date significant to us...
I think it may be the fact that we are an older married couple that makes it easier to see romance in ways that younger couples don't. With age and fibromyalgia and heart and back problems and Chris with his diabetes, sex is either umcomfortable or impossible. So both Chris and I look forward to a bubble bath at home with a good back wash and nail trims or a foot or back massage. We do that for each other on a regular basis. To us, nurture is romance!
Chris loves me bringing his breakfast into him in the morning. This to him is romantic and although his not buying me presents and sending me cards may seem that he is an unromantic man, nothing could be further from the truth. He sings to me! We have some special songs that he says were written just for us, and he will play them on the computer, and take me in his arms and croon to me as we dance slowly round the living room.
Because I am often in hospital, Chris shows his care by staying with me most of the day until visiting hours are over, just stroking my hair and holding my hand. Or he will come with our laptop and headphones for me. My heart melts with love for him. We can't stand to be away from each other.
Illness, medications, no spoons and age have curtailed our times of intimacy, but we manage to show love to each other in ways that are imaginative, erotic and very caring. There is absolutely no thoughts of unmet needs- love can be expressed in ways other than full sexual intercourse, and we delight in each other regardless! If sex happens, it's a bonus!
So we don't care about no presents or cards for Christmas, or birthdays or Valentines' Day- with the romantic sparks that still fly between us, and our little dalliances, every day is Valentines' Day.
I thank God for Chris as I am one very blessed wife, and I tell him often.... he finds that very romantic too! We are proof that you can live without sex! Sex isn't everything!
