INTIMACY THROUGH RECREATION

By Dr Bill Maier

Are you looking for a good way to strengthen your marriage?

Try playing tennis with your spouse, or going on a bike ride.

It is a fact that couples who play together tend to stay together.

Men place a great deal of importance on shared activities with their spouse, while women tend to thrive on emotional intimacy, which usually comes through just being together.

My wife and I are into hiking and mountain biking and we've used those activities to bond, as well as to build a lot of great memories.

Some of our best conversations have taken place on the hiking trail or on the bike path.

The quickest way to let passion plummet in a relationship is to disconnect.

If he's always off playing golf with his buddies, and she's meeting with her hobby club, emotional intimacy can fall by the wayside.

The strongest couples learn to develop shared interests and then work them into their weekly schedules.

-----

From TODAY, Voices – Friday, 08-May-2009