Communicate.

I'm completely enamored by human behavior and I often "study" people more than I probably should. It's fascinating to my little mind. When Jared and I dine out for the evening, I know (and relay to him) different conversations of those sitting around me. I simply can not help but people-watch. It's a sickness. In my many years of observing of the human form, I have witnessed this travesty more times than I could count: The Conversation-less Couple.

You know what I'm talking about. The couples who sit in complete silence as they sit directly across from one another and eat their meal. This absolutely baffles me. How can you go about your days separately, and then reunite for supper and not have ANYTHING to say?

When I observe such a lonely meal, I can't help but internalize many preconceived notions and silently voice them as I nudge Jared to take a look over at them: "I bet they're fighting. Why else would they not be talking?"; "Maybe they just received some really bad news and they're too upset to talk."; "I wonder if they're deaf?" I run all sorts of different scenarios through my head of why the couple next to me isn't conversing when more than likely, the problem is this: They Lack Communication Skills.

I think the longer you are with your Mr. the easier it is to just go about your own routine, your own things and fail to converse. There are so many distractions and things that busy our minds that we often find ourselves "too tired" to tell the stories that happen throughout the day and you think, "Oh, I'll tell him tomorrow," and inevitably tomorrow comes and you forget all about it.

Tragic.

I believe the basis for a healthy thriving relationship is communication. Jared and I are in the midst of long distance relationship and we are literally forced to T-A-L-K if we want things to work out. We skype several times throughout the week and are able to visually see each other which helps. But emails and random messages throughout the day telling each other little details that most wouldn't care about, we cling to.

When we first started the long distance, all i asked was that he told me Goodnight every night. He has called me (or texted when he is too tired), without fail, every single night of our long distance relationship so far. We talk, and talk, and talk because we were absolutely forced to. Who wants to sit on the phone or skype in silence?

I believe that the past seven months apart have built a vital part of our relationship - communication. We don't have the luxuries that couples at the same school have - constant togetherness, meals together, week night dates, studying together, watching TV together, exercising together, etc. We have the phone and a computer. We have our nightly conversations to wind down from our days together and talk. It was hard, don't get me wrong...but we have unknowingly been building a habit of communication.