In Too Deep (Part One)

Audio By Carbonatix

A while ago, I did something with my daughter that some people might consider stupid. I’m going to tell you, at great risk, what I did in order to make a point. I was driving with my daughter and we were approaching an area of the highway where, after an extremely heavy rain, there were big red signs posted saying do not try to pass. These were warning signs, but we took it as a dare. My daughter and I both like to push the limit and since mom wasn’t in the car, we thought there’d be nobody around to freak out.

We slowly drove forward into the water in the same way you use your toes to test the temperature of the water at the beach. As the tires became slick and sprayed water onto the sides of the car, we were both smiling ear to ear. We saw a current swirling ahead, but we had no idea as to the depth of the water. The pavement was still visible where we were driving, but as a precaution, I told my daughter to open her door and keep an eye on the water level. We drove about one hundred yards when my daughter’s voice went an octave higher as she reported the road had disappeared.

Hit the pause button on this story for a minute and consider how this can be like marriage. There may be times where you feel like the love has disappeared from your relationship. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been married, you can experience periods where you feel as though you are drowning in your problems. In order to stay afloat and on top of the situation, you need to think about what to do to improve the circumstances instead of bailing out. Jumping ship would give you immediate relief from having to deal with your problems, but in the long run, unresolved issues would float to the surface.

Communication is the hallmark of any healthy relationship and it is important to keep it going when experiencing difficulties. It may not be an easy task for you and your spouse, but you need to get to the core of your problem by peeling away the layers that surround it. Pride is usually one of the layers that prevent us from getting to the truth, along with covering up guilt, uncertainty, and stubbornness, just to name a few. Once those are removed, it will become easier for you and your spouse to figure out how to get your love flowing in the same direction. It might involve connecting through several date nights or learning to enjoy the other person’s hobby or cheerfully serving instead of being served. It is not always simple or easy to address the times in a relationship where love is nowhere to be found, but I guarantee it will be worth your time to try to find it again.

Meanwhile, my daughter and I were trying to find the road again. The spray from the tires was washing the sides of the car and the water was rising to a level that forced her to close her door. The engine sizzled, like an egg in a hot frying pan, as the water poured through the front grille. We turned toward each other, our eyes wide as saucers, and felt the gravity of our situation.

Stay tuned for Part 2 to hear the rest of our amphibious story!