It happens so fast, doesn’t it? One minute we’re watching the New Year’s Eve countdown, clinking champagne glasses, promising ourselves that this year will be different – and then, we blink and it’s March. Our resolutions vanish somewhere between the laundry pile and the grocery list. But there’s one promise worth keeping this year, and it has nothing to do with organizing closets or cutting carbs. It’s about love.
We talk about “forever” when we say our vows, but the truth is, forever is built in a series of “nows.” And the older I get, the more I realize how quickly those moments disappear. One blink, and the kids are grown. Another blink, and we’re scrolling photos, wondering when our spouse’s hair turned gray or when that wrinkle appeared on our own face. We live like time is unlimited, telling ourselves we’ll start “next week” or “when things slow down.” But life doesn’t slow down.
My husband Brian jokes that life is like a roll of toilet paper: it goes faster and faster toward the end. He’s right! Time flies, and our marriages don’t magically grow more loving with it. In fact, the opposite often happens. So this year, let it be about love. Notice that even after all this time, you’re both still here, still trying, still learning how to love better. Or maybe your marriage feels like it’s running on autopilot – filled with blame or quiet resentment. You’re not alone. Love isn’t the effortless feeling we were taught to chase. Real love is waking up next to the same person and choosing them, again and again.
It’s in the small, daily decisions: to listen instead of defending, to seek understanding instead of shutting down, to offer grace for each other’s quirks. According to Dr. John Gottman, 69% of marital challenges are perpetual.
That means most of what we fight about never really goes away, so why not stop keeping score and start creating connection?
As we step into 2026, what if we stopped assuming we have time? What if we stopped letting busyness and bitterness eat up the moments that could have been precious memories? Marriages are fragile treasures, worthy of love, care and attention. The clock’s ticking, and in another blink, it’ll be 2027. Will you spend another year feeling unappreciated and disconnected? I hope not. The good news is, we can start over anytime. Forever is shorter than we think, and the best time to love each other is always now. Love is a decision. Choose wisely. Choose love in 2026.