Pages

Monday, January 23, 2012

You Complete Me

The moment was a complete game changer in our relationship. I was moaning and groaning to my wife about things I didn't like about myself and things I didn't like about other people; complaining about this and worrying about that. At the end of my diatribe, I looked at Kristy and said 'I am such a terrible person.' I was making a joke. With all of the sincerity in the world, she looked at me and said, 

"Brian, you are not a terrible person. You just have a lot of issues."

She was not making a joke. She was dead serious. It was a game changer because at that moment, I came to realize much more of the depths of the love and life that we share together. Ours is a relationship where we are becoming more open and honest with one another, experiencing more trust and actually allowing one another to speak into the others life - kind of like real friends do.

In a day and age when Jerry's words to Dorothy is what people are looking for, it seems that we've actually been missing out on the true beauty of oneness. What if, being made 'complete' by another person is not the goal at all - or even possible for that matter?


When we look to another person to complete us, we in essence give that person complete power over us. When someone else completes us, we inevitably hang on every word that person says, looking for our value and worth. If they build us up we feel great. If they say something negative about us, even if it's true, it causes our world to cave in around us. This is perhaps one major reason why marriages don't last in our society.

What if, instead of looking to a spouse (or future spouse) to complete us, we looked to a spouse to be a partner in this life journey. Someone who we can be true friends with. True allies. As we work together to continue working through our stuff; knowing that we were never intended to 'complete' one another. A spouse certainly can make us a better person, but that actually only works if the relationship is authentic, vulnerable, filled with trust and love. That takes time, but seems to me - these days - to be much better than the cotton candy, 9th grade crush love we bought into along the way. And yes, for the record, I did like the movie Jerry Maguire and I might have gotten something in my eye during the 'you had me at hello' dialogue.

If you are married, does your spouse have the freedom to speak into your life? About your character? Flaws? How you come across to other people?

Married or not married, do you have others in your life who you have invited to speak into your life? People who make you a better person?


3 comments:

MiChE said...

In my pre-marriage counseling, one thing that stuck with me was not having this attitude of completeness but that each person needs to put in 100% into the relationship. Not 50/50.

Yes, I've had a conversations with Travis about qualities I could work on - which was/is HARD, but great to have his accountability. This conversation probably doesn't happen enough though.

This blog encouraged me. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

Good job explaining the difference between complete and finished. If you marry the right person you are complete, but if you marry the wrong one you are finished. Robb

Kelli m said...

It seems in my life those are special special people. I have 3 who I can be completely open one of which is my husband. I know it's all about love, not judgment. It comes from love and I accept because I grow and everyday fall in love with me a little more. I can't thank god enough for these people in my life. Some times I just really don't need to be alone with my thoughts.