Skip to content
The Catholic Leader
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
The Catholic Leader
No Result
View All Result
Home Life Family

Hold on to what you love

byStaff writers
9 January 2014 - Updated on 16 March 2021
Reading Time: 3 mins read
AA
Couple holding hands sunset
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Smart Loving by Francine and Byron Pirola

AS we fall across the ‘Christmas-NY’ line, we look back on the past month with a sigh of relief and a tinge of regret.

Yet another frantic Advent with barely time to think about Jesus or our loved ones except to curse the ones who obstinately remain difficult to buy for.

Every year, we swear to do it differently next year, yet it seems that we fail to meet our own expectations year after year.

But now, it’s time to really slow down.

Done with the rushing and speed shopping like a crazed trolley driver moving with the attitude of a road train crossing the Nullarbor.

Breathe. And again.

Our Australian summer is the quintessential time to regroup, recreate and most importantly, reconnect with each other.

While our family and friends are important, we find we have to remind ourselves at this time of year they are not as important to us as each other.

We used to make the mistake of filling up our summer break with all the catch-up appointments and gatherings that have been accumulating over the year without first clearing the backlog of time owed to our marriage.

Related Stories

Hearts ‘fused’ together living their vocation

Ukraine war forces surrogate mothers and parents to face tragic choices

Mum, when will I see you again?

As a result we would find ourselves going back to work and school routines without having attended to the vital needs of our marriage relationship.

Of course, that’s not always easy.

Like most people, when we have neglected our marriage for a while, there will be some unresolved stuff that’s waiting for a conversation.

Not the ideal way to relax, but really, if we ignore those niggling issues, they hang about like a blowfly at a barbecue – pesky darn things that keep interrupting our fun and end up ruining what would have otherwise been a great time.

Nothing saps your energy together like a lingering disagreement or a hostile atmosphere.

Here’s a simple activity we’ve used for years that helps us ease into a gentle reconnection.

We call it the Connect Hug.

It’s simply that. A one or two minute hug (yes, at least 60 whole seconds), wherever we happen to be – the bedroom, the kitchen, the garden, at the supermarket.

Just hold each other in a close embrace and breathe.

Breathe in the scent of each other and breathe out the tension and distraction.

Breathe in all the goodness of our spouse and breathe out the pain, the hurts, the disappointments.

Breathe in and claim our longing for intimacy and breathe out to release our fear and independence.

Breathe. Just breathe and hold each other.

Before long, we notice a physiological shift – our heart rate slows and our blood pressure settles.

We feel more centred, more grounded, more connected to each other and to our common dream.

Holding each other like this makes approaching a difficult conversation easier. It makes everything easier.

So this summer, don’t forget to reconnect with each other.

You’ll return from the break with more energy, more focus and more delight in being who you are called to be as a couple.

Francine and Byron Pirola are the co-authors of the SmartLoving Series at www.smartloving.org

See smartloving.org/connect-hug for more information on this story.

[divider]

ShareTweet
Previous Post

It’s a match for Maddie and Mum

Next Post

Major support for Church’s council

Staff writers

Related Posts

Hearts ‘fused’ together living their vocation
People

Hearts ‘fused’ together living their vocation

15 May 2022
Ukraine war forces surrogate mothers and parents to face tragic choices
Hot Topics

Ukraine war forces surrogate mothers and parents to face tragic choices

24 March 2022 - Updated on 28 March 2022
Mother and son: A photo of Fr Harry Chan when he was a child with his mother. Photo: Supplied
Faith

Mum, when will I see you again?

22 November 2021
Next Post
Reading glasses on pile of paper

Major support for Church’s council

Sr Mary Theodor with disabled child at Mithra

God’s Donkey lived for others

prisoner's hands through fence

Prison problems set to hurt the community

Popular News

  • Here are the stories of 10 new saints being canonised this Sunday

    Here are the stories of 10 new saints being canonised this Sunday

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Angel’s Kitchen serves hot meals to the hungry in Southport

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • The Church canonises 10 new saints who shared God’s love

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Queensland election: The pro-life political parties committed to abortion law reforms

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Cleanup begins after floodwaters swamp South East Queensland again

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
Search our job finder
No Result
View All Result

Latest News

Bishops call out racism, gun violence after U.S. shooting
World

Bishops call out racism, gun violence after U.S. shooting

by CNS
17 May 2022
0

SEVERAL U.S. Catholic bishops spoken out against racism and gun violence after a mass shooting in Buffalo,...

Parishes unite for Logan deanery family festival this Sunday

Parishes unite for Logan deanery family festival this Sunday

17 May 2022
Lives of the saints – St Kateri Tekakwitha, the Lily of the Mohawks

Lives of the saints – St Kateri Tekakwitha, the Lily of the Mohawks

17 May 2022
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI turned 95 on a ‘very happy’ day

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI turned 95 on a ‘very happy’ day

17 May 2022
Cleanup begins after floodwaters swamp South East Queensland again

Cleanup begins after floodwaters swamp South East Queensland again

16 May 2022

Never miss a story. Sign up to the Weekly Round-Up
eNewsletter now to receive headlines directly in your email.

Sign up to eNews
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Jobs
  • Subscribe

The Catholic Leader is an Australian award-winning Catholic newspaper that has been published by the Archdiocese of Brisbane since 1929. Our journalism seeks to provide a full, accurate and balanced Catholic perspective of local, national and international news while upholding the dignity of the human person.

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader
Accessibility Information | Privacy Policy | Archdiocese of Brisbane

The Catholic Leader acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the First Peoples of this country and especially acknowledge the traditional owners on whose lands we live and work throughout the Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader

0
    0
    Your Cart
    Your cart is emptyChoose another Subscription
    Continue Shopping