Love REIDiculously: Words of Advice from The Reids
posted by Law | February 21, 2020 | In OpinionSo, you’ve made it! Valentine’s Day has come and gone. Many are filled with love and with hopeful desire that this love will last forever. Forever, ever? Maybe you spent the night alone, fully satisfied with the warm “chill” of Netflix and a cold beverage, or perhaps you went out for dinner for two that ended with a bang (take the pun). This is where Cupid aims his bow.
I dare not presume young love will not last. Love is NOT that predictable.
Love is complex. It pits families against families, as exhibited in Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.” It can turn a happy home into a war zone, as shown in “Mr. & Mrs. Smith,” starring Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. And yes, love can be a slow burning fire, as shown in “Love & Basketball,” starring Sanaa Lathan & Omar Epps.
I sat down with couple Michael and Tiffany Reid, whose journey began in 2007, to discuss the must-haves concerning a relationship, weighing the value of those things from their “young love” years against what is soon to be four years of wedded bliss.
Myth: Men don’t know what they want.
Fact: We do, we just don’t mind the search as much.
Michael was a traveling musician at the time of their initial meeting, and Tiffany was a freshman in high school.
“I was not prepared,” said Tiffany. Words of wisdom.
Remember that relationship? The one where you just weren’t “ready?”
For Michael, the #relationshipgoals were clear: “She had to be more beautiful on the inside than the outside.”
Myth: Men only want “one thing.”
Fact: We want and need more. (Inside tip: we always know when we’re not getting it.)
We are all guilty of the list. The list of must-haves in a relationship.
Tiffany shared her list of must-haves: Is he a man of faith? Financially stable? And with a brilliant smile, she added, “I love conversation that simulates the mind,” so communication is added to the list.
Let’s talk about SEX, baby!: “It’s either popping or it’s not,” said Tiffany.
This is true of the old, the young, and the restless in any stage of a relationship. It’s the one thing you don’t want to be found negligent of or, worse, not find at all. But as time teaches, a house built on a four-letter word won’t stand on a three-letter leg.
For Tiffany, marriage taught that “a husband will keep me covered in prayer.” She describes Michael as a man of vision, who can lead. “Without vision, the people perish,” she added, referencing a scripture from the Bible.
It has been thirteen years of love for this young couple, yet “not much has changed,” said Michael. “I’m still very grateful to have a wife who is patient, understanding, and dedicated.”
Not all relationships end in marriage. Not all “relationships” are relationships. Sometimes people just connect with someone who gets them and don’t mind sharing the remote. But if you should fall in love, love intentionally. Love wholly. Love REIDiculously
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.