There's a peace that settles over the couple who has reached the "other side" of the initial growing and discovering phase of a relationship. For most of us, this initial discovery part of the relationship seems to be a bit of each party contemplating the question of whether they want to keep going with this person; is this person the one they want to invest their time and their energy in; et cetera. Some amazing (and rare) couples seem to simply meet and they are there, almost immediately.
Yet, we, the rest of us, get there too. We just do the "growing into him/her," "getting to know him/her," and the "let's see how this looks when the honeymoon phase wears off," thing. And, personally speaking, I feel that we--my guy and I--have rounded all those corners. And I love us! I love how we look. I love how we are just easy and understand each other's lives. I love how we are pretty good at checking in with each other, and how we make space for us each to have outside friends and outside interests.
So, to be back to a more typical and normal ebb and flow of relationship overlap and sharing seems so
deliciously happy and real and normal. I think this might be the first I've ever reflected on this, but the "after-the-honeymoon" phase of the relationship kind of feels like a new version of the honeymoon phase. Why? Because everything just got easier. Nobody's wondering if they should be worried if they should text "good morning" or "good night." Nobody's worrying where the other person is when we aren't together. I mean, maybe we weren't really worrying about that anyway, but there were a few growing pains here and there, and we are solidly past those, it seems.
* The photos included are a few of those he and I have shared within our "private jokes" together. They won't mean anything to you, necessarily, but they make me smile.
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