A friend and I were discussing relationships tonight. He argued that, in a symbolic sense, there are two kinds of couples: 1) those that stand facing each other and looking at the other person, and 2) those that stand beside each other and look out, to God and to others. I see the latter type of relationship as what I would like for myself.
It's a nice idea, but to be honest, I am still working through exactly what that means on a practical level. There is the strictly literal sense, in that when my boyfriend is in the room, do I focus all my attention on him alone, ignoring all others? Sometimes I think I do that. Something I need to work on.
But it seems to me that there is also a deeper meaning here, which ties into the purpose of the relationship. Does my relationship affirm those around me? When others look at the relationship I have with my boyfriend, do they see God in that relationship? Or are we just another set of smug-marrieds?
I don't know. But I think that's something I need to be more aware of.
