Relationships Articles

There's no doubt that meaningful relationships bring happiness into our lives. Although at times, they can also bring sorrow and frustration. Leaning how to be happy with oneself is crucial in building health relationships with others which ultimately bring happiness into our lives.

I am free

by Jared Akers

i'm free I am free. Standing on the tip of a rock overlooking the pacific ocean on the beautiful island of Kauai, I am free. A few days prior I married my best friend, Emily, I am free.

I’ve been to this island before, I’ve been married here before, but I was a prisoner then. A prisoner to living a life on self will. I don’t remember much then, only that I was terrified inside of what my life had become and where it was going. I was chained to the thought that I could find happiness in my life if only I could manage it better.

The life I had then is gone, the person I was then is gone, it died the day I turned my will and my life over to my Higher Power, God.

This time, I see God’s presence every where. The day before our wedding, Emily and I went on a shore dive off Koloa landing and saw two octopus mating. How cool is that! It’s rare to see octopus, not to mention to see them mating! On our boat dive, we saw lots of critters (too many to mention) but the highlight was the endanged Hawaiian Monk Seal. [Read more…]

It's Not My Job

by Jared Akers

People that litter annoy me, really. They’re simply lazy and figure… well, that someone else will pick it up. After all, its not their job right? Or do they even think that? Maybe I’m even giving them the benefit of the doubt here, more than likely they just don’t care.

I was driving into work the other morning and while waiting at a stop light I noticed this gentleman outside his place of business. I’m assuming it was “his” place of business because he was walking the grounds with a look of pride and ownership. The sun was just coming up and the morning air was still cool and foggy. You could see his breath and the steam rising from his hot cup of joe as he surveyed the grounds and retrieved the morning paper a few feet from the curb. He then proceeded to look over a couple of newly planted trees and seemed to be enjoying his morning walk of his grounds. Then he noticed something, a disgarded McDonald’s sack laying about three feet from the curb on his perfectly manicured lawn. I watched with curiosity as he approached the garbage and just as I expected him to bend over and pick it up, he proceeded to kick it into the street. Huh? Man did I have him pegged wrong.

I guess picking up trash is not his job. Too bad, he owns a car repair shop and I know another job that’s not his either, fixing my car.

The Little Things

by Jared Akers

the little things Last Thursday I went to the dentist for my 6 month cleaning. I used to really hate the dentist. Then I got into this sort of attitude where I felt I deserved any pain the dentist inflicted on me, that it was some how my punishment for not taking care of myself. I don’t feel that way now, I take care of me teeth and enjoy hearing praise on how clean I’m keeping my teeth.

Ok, sorry for the little rant on my history with the dentist… now to the topic of this post, “the little things.” What I’m talking about is how much more enjoyable life is when you have someone to enjoy life’s little things with.

You know the bag of “goodies” you get when leaving the dentist office? You know, the new toothbrush, the travel size toothpaste, dental floss, etc… Before I met my wonderful Emily, I would usually throw those away (or stick them in a drawer in my bathroom until I moved, then threw them away), I mean who needs “another” tooth brush and a travel size of toothpaste? Emily loves toothbrushes, she has one in almost every room in the house and most certainly every bathroom. She likes getting new ones, cool ones!! You know with the bendy heads and the ones that get into the “hard to reach” places. She also has a “thing” for toothpaste and at any given time has at least three brands in the master bath and several others throughout the various vanity’s around the house. So as I’m leaving the dentist office and walking down the steps to the parking lot, I lift up my bag of “goodies” in front of me for another look at the crap they just gave me, then I giggled and got excited inside. “Emily will think this is cool!!” I thought to myself, I even got some of those awesome little brushes for cleaning in between the teeth… she loves those! It’s right then I realized how COOL it is to share a life with someone who can teach you more about appreciating “the little things” and how to be happy with all of them.

Thanks Emily 😉

She Said Yes

by Jared Akers

A few weeks ago I purchased an engagement ring for my girlfriend Emily. The weekend prior I asked her father for permission to propose to his daughter. His response was “welcome to the family!” My plan had been to propose while in Kauai on November 30th while looking out over an amazing sunset or sunrise. I had the whole thing planned, I’d record my voice over the top of “our song” and play it for her through my mp3 player. Emily’s father said something to me when I shared this with him, “why wait to share good news? When you have something good to share, why wait?” I told myself, “because I want it to be perfect!” And so I would wait, an entire month before asking the women I loved to spend the rest of her life with me.

Skip ahead two weeks, it’s Saturday afternoon and I’m going for my daily run. I was listening to a Darius Rucker song “Learn To Live:”

you gotta live to learn
you gotta crash and burn
you gotta make some stances
and take some chances
you gotta live and love
and take all life has to give
you gotta live and learn
so you can learn to live

While listening and running, I was overcome with such joy and gratitude, I starting raising my arms and waving to every vehicle that passed by. Some waved back with smiles on their faces, others thought I was crazy. I actually broke down in tears and I realized we only live once, and I had something great I wanted to share and couldn’t wait any longer. So I went inside, put the headphones on my girlfriend, let her listen to how much she meant to me, and asked her to marry me. She said yes!

I'm right here

by Jared Akers

It was a Saturday and my girlfriend and I were on the way to her brothers funeral across town when my phone rang. We had just turned onto 135th street. “I’m pissed!” I hear the caller say, “and I want to get wasted! There’s a liquor stores two doors down from where I’m working and a drink really sounds good.” “Where are you?” I asked. “I’m working at 135th and Antioch.” As I look up out the front window of the car I notice the road sign pass overhead as we pull through the intersection, 135th and Antioch. “I’m right here,” I said, “Everything is going to be ok.”