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For our 9th wedding anniversary we rented an Airbnb in the California Sierra mountains. We were sitting on the bed, luxuriating in being together in peaceful seclusion, and decided to each write our feelings down. Not surprisingly, although we wrote totally independently, and we have different writing styles, we chose to highlight the same three aspects of our relationship; total acceptance, being present, and taking time to be together. 

Book Report
We recently attended the first Indie Author Day at our local library, one of 300 libraries nationwide. As part of this, our local library is creating a Local Authors shelf, and How Two: Have a Successful Relationship will be on it! If you're local to Santa Barbara, check it out (pun intended). You can also find the book locally at Chaucer's Bookstore.

Here's a video sharing Another Way, adapted from the first chapter of How Two. Sit back, relax and enjoy.

 
Successful Relationship Reading Corner
This week's blog covers our anniversary trip during which we wrote independently, only to discover we both covered the themes of total acceptance, being present and making time for each other. As these are core themes of successful relationships, this week we're linking to blogs we've written about these topics.

What is Sacred Space in a Relationship? "One of the keys to experiencing the kind of intimacy that unites a couple is spending time in your sacred space together. In the early stages of your relationship there were times when you came together and exulted in the sheer pleasure of being with the other person. We call this a sacred space. What do we mean?"

You Need Total Acceptance For a Successful Relationship "Have you felt completely accepted by someone in your life? Do you know how the experience of full acceptance changes you? Many people do not have any frame of reference to understand these questions. The relationships in their life have taught them to be defended and withholding. They are always on the look out to fend off criticism and correction. That is why we feel it is so important to share and discuss what total acceptance can bring into a relationship, and what it looks and feels like."

The Power of Being Present Within a Relationship "When you are not filled with projections of how things should or could be, not filled with thoughts of the past or the future, then you wind up occupying the present. This act of being present brings many marvels with it. It leads to new and exciting experiences. It imbues shared experiences with a quality of creativity and co-creativity. Presence is a matter of the degree to which you are focused on the events in front of you. Being present is responding to what is actually happening, rather than reacting according to your previous experiences or future concerns. When in presence, you are not busy trying to create a specific future outcome."

Spreading peace one relationship at a time,
Phil and Maude
 
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