Accomplishing Something By Doing Nothing

by guest contributor Steve

My wife and I recently returned from a week-long vacation in the Caribbean, where we stayed at an all-inclusive resort. It was a special occasion, so even though it was more expensive than we usually spend on a vacation like this, we traveled first class and got a one-bedroom suite with a butler. Neither of us knew what to expect from the butler service, but it was amazing. (More on that some other time.)

Although we could have taken excursions around the island for snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing or just being taken to a deserted stretch of beach for some privacy, we decided to just hang around the pool area most of the day, with our biggest decisions having to do with where and what to eat. We did enjoy a romantic candlelight dinner on a tower overlooking the pool to celebrate a recent anniversary.

Both of us lead busy lives and the pressures of time, business, and life in general sometimes have a negative effect on our relationship. By turning off our phones and mostly staying offline, we found that having these pressures removed, even temporarily, had a great positive effect on us. It allowed us to focus on each other and make sure that each of us was comfortable, felt taken care of and was secure in knowing that the other had our best interests at heart.

I feel that we reconnected in a way that we hadn’t done for a while and our goal is to keep that feeling even though we are back to our normal lives. My wife said that we should live up to our potential and, while we have not always done so, this trip was a reminder of what that potential could be and what we should be striving for. Our hope is that by doing nothing for most of this week, we actually accomplished the goal of getting closer and remembering why we love each other more than ever.