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It was on an afternoon flight from the ancient capital city of Luang Prabang, Laos to Bangkok, Thailand that a historic moment occurred!
Dana and I had just spent four amazing days in Luang Prabang with the culmination being getting up before dawn and participating in Tak Bat, the ritual of giving alms to Buddhist monks.
This traditional meditative ceremony begins before sunrise when 200+ monks from 75+ monasteries in the city begin walking in silence, in single file, oldest first, collecting bananas and sticky rice for their daily meal.
Dana was sitting in the window seat, staring out the window and looking for shapes in the clouds when all of a sudden she exclaimed, “look over there, it’s a little baby T-Rex… can you see him?!?!”
Not wanting to burst her bubble (frankly, I couldn’t quite make out our pre-historic friend in the clouds) I smiled and nodded an affirmative yes while thinking about this fun game my sister and I used to play while trying to pass time in the back seat of the car during those “are we almost there” family vacations.
Although I didn’t know it at the time, that Little Baby T-Rex image was indelibly etched in my mind. It wasn’t until we arrived back in Phoenix that I did a bit of research and found just the right T-Rex to purchase, the Gund T-Rex Dinosaur that Roars Plush Toy.
Little Baby T-Rex arrived and as is the case more times than not with us, I simply couldn’t wait until the holiday’s to introduce the newest addition to the family. Dana fell in love immediately and “Lyle Rex” was officially born. You can find him on Facebook at Lyle Rex and he’s really quite friendly and always looking to connect with new friends.
Ok, I know what you’re thinking. What’s a grown man doing buying stuffed animals, especially if they’re not a child’s gift, but one for he and his girlfriend?
The answer is fairly simple and straightforward… I’m still a kid. A big one mind you, but a kid nonetheless. It’s one of my traits that I actually embrace wholeheartedly too!
Laughing, whether at oneself or one of those great belly laughs that have tears running down your cheeks is definitely heart healthy and emotionally imperative in bridging life’s ups and downs.
Laughter definitely keeps me young at heart and although you may call it a “Peter Pan” complex, being kid-like is a very important ingredient in keeping our relationship fresh and fun.
Too often, we hear from individuals and therapists alike that one of the major challenges that couples face is getting stuck in a rut. Not just in doing the same activities and going to the same restaurants, but in all areas of their lives.
One of the ways we’ve found to get out of the rut more quickly is to ensure we’re bringing “laughter and excitement” to our daily lives. As with any ritual, it takes practice and the commitment of ‘doing’ instead of just “thinking” about it.
Lyle has traveled the world with us and especially loved visiting the Louvre in Paris this past August.
When we created Fun Fantasy Ritual and looked at our various roles and responsibilities, we knew immediately that Lyle would be playing an important role in reminding us that “fun and adventure” is one of the fundamental principles of our company. He developed his job duties, title, and as you can see below, he’s always eager to assist with crafting content, writing blogs and serving as our customer service representative always available to answer questions.
Imagination and curiosity are two of the important cornerstones of being a kid. Whether you’re 6 or 60 years young, it’s never too late to add these two elements to your relationship.
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Previously published here and is republished on Medium.
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