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| This is a cassette tape – it is something old people used a long, long time ago! |
DATING YOUR SPOUSE: OUR ROMANTIC MUSIC DATE
We have been married a long time – over 34 years. Occasionally through the years, you get in a rut when it comes to dating and your relationship. Jeff and I were at that point, and then in 2015 my husband decided to have a cardiac arrest and was dead for 15 minutes. You can read about that experience here. After that occurrence, I decided to revitalize our dating life. Eventually, children grow up and we will be left to figure out this relationship. If we don’t work on it now, it will not be vibrant enough to work on down the road. Enter the DATE NIGHT CHALLENGE – Challenge #1 is the Music Date. I dub this the Romantic Music Date.
Music has an incredible ability to invoke feelings. A song you listened to years ago can immediately transport you back to another place and time. And if that place and time had good memories associated with it, it can bring those good feelings back again. For couples that have been together for a long time, sometimes you forget those good feelings and need a little help. Music can do that.
Both of you select five songs before your date and find somewhere that you can listen to music. We didn’t have to limit the number of songs, but it seemed like it was easier than just having it be open-ended. The reason that I selected a music date was because Jeff always had music playing in the car when we were dating. He isn’t an extremely talkative sort (unless you are talking about Star Wars, Star Trek, space, rocketry, etc.). Many times he would pop a cassette tape in when I got into the car and it was set to play some romantic or silly song depending on his mood. I loved to hear him sing, which he does so infrequently.
Here are some of the songs we shared with each other for our Romantic Music Date:
Your Song by Elton John
Fly By Night by Rush
This is not an incredibly romantic song, but it represents music that Jeff likes that I never would have listened to. He has made my life richer because of our differences. Sometimes those differences cause disagreements, AKA fights. But often times you can embrace the differences and grow from them. This is one of those types of differences. I may not always like the music he selects, but many times the songs grow on me.
I Need You by America
This has been one of our two signature songs for almost our entire relationship. Boy does it have more meaning after one of the two of us died for a period of time.
Faithfully by Journey
Our other signature song. We danced to this at our wedding, and we also had the opportunity to dance to it at our son’s wedding (which just happened to occur on our anniversary).
Departure/Good Morning Girl/Stay Awhile by Journey
I’ll Go to My Grave Loving You by The Statler Brothers
Early in our marriage, we went with my mother to the Ohio State Fair. I liked country music back when country was country; Jeff did not. He went to the concert with us and actually didn’t hate it. There have been a few times he has listened to country music with a positive attitude. The willingness to try new things with each other has helped sustain our marriage all these years.
Only the Good Die Young by Billy Joel
This was one of those songs that had meaning as a result of where we were when I first heard it with Jeff. We went to a friend’s graduation party and afterward while we were driving home, Jeff had Billy Joel playing. We were talking, and it was at this point that I realized that this was a forever thing. Every time I hear it, I remember the road we were driving on, and how carefree we once were.
I’ll Melt with You by Modern English
The Search is Over by Survivor
The Eyes of a Woman by Journey
After eating and sitting outside, we decided to listen to most of our songs inside the car. It was more private, and I didn’t want to sit outside sobbing. I did end up crying when he sang to me. We talked a great deal about our hopes, dreams, failures, successes and more. It was one of the nicest times we have had on a date.
After listening to our songs we decided to stop and get Handel’s Ice Cream. If you have never had Handel’s, you are missing out on some of the best ice cream in the world!
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| Handel’s Ice Cream – Key Lime Pie |
Can’t wait until the next date! Hope I have challenged and inspired you to date your spouse. Drop me a line and let me know “your signature song.”
Reviewing movies for parents from a Christian perspective since 2005. Know Before You Go!
Christian Homeschooling mom – 30 years and counting
Autism Mom & Disney enthusiast
