"[Love] flashes fire, the very flame of Jehovah.   Many waters cannot quench the flame of love, neither can the floods drown it."   Song of Solomon 8:6,7 (TLB)

There's a cynical one-liner that goes, "The period of engagement is like an exciting introduction to a dull book."   And unfortunately, this is true for many couples.

What is it about marriage that seems to dull our romantic creativity?  At some point in almost every marriage, a couple realizes that they just don't experience the same romantic feelings they once enjoyed.

Romance is not the foundation of a marriage.   But it is the fire in the fireplace; the warmth and security of a relationship that says, "We may have struggles, but I love you, and everything is okay."

We need that fire in our marriages because we are emotional beings.  While we cannot base marriage on romantic feelings, we also can't deny our needs for closeness and intimacy.   Without these qualities in a relationship, a couple will drift into isolation.

Barbara and I have had some great romantic highlights in our years together:   a fall foliage trip to New England on our tenth anniversary, a getaway at a cozy bed-and-breakfast inn, candlelight dinners at home after the kids were in bed (when they were younger)...I could go on and on.