Relationship Grit

Chapter 2 R = Resolve

It's often easier to give up and walk away. Relationships require a desire to stay together and a willingness to change for the better.

From Fantasy to Reality

(Kathryn)

Jon and I were engaged six months after meeting. It seemed that once he put the ring on my finger, we started fighting a lot. This is when it got real. All of our issues and insecurities reared their ugly heads. Jon was so jealous. I couldn't even talk to another guy without him getting mad. I was scared of committing and tried to break up with him several times. Jon would say, “You are just scared,” and it made me feel better because I knew he was right.

I suggested we get some counseling. Jon was reluctant (as I find most men are), but he finally agreed to go. We saw a female therapist and at the first meeting we began to talk about some of the issues we were fighting about. She actually laughed out loud at us. For the life of me I can't remember exactly what I said but I know it wasn't funny! Jon and I just looked at each other. In a strange way it bonded us. We had a common enemy. The therapist who laughed at us would never see us again!

Unfortunately, this made Jon even more reluctant to go to another therapist. So I thought seeing a male counselor might make Jon feel more at ease. I found “Sean,” a nice man with an easy presence. Five minutes into asking us some probing questions, Jon and I started fighting. Okay, maybe I started fighting. The therapist said to me, “Wow, you ...