Every once in a while, we plan an actual date night. Nothing elaborate, no big reason, just dinner out, the two of us. It’s a nice break from our usual routine, a chance to catch our breath, and honestly, I think we both look forward to it more than we admit.
He always opens the door for me, like he has since we started dating. It’s one of those small things that still makes me smile. Once we’re seated, there’s that first quiet moment where the noise of the week fades out a little. I think that’s what I love most. The way dinner out makes space for conversation, for laughter, for just being together without multitasking.
We usually talk about a mix of things: what’s been going on that week, something funny one of us saw, random plans for the weekend. Sometimes it gets serious, sometimes it’s lighthearted. We don’t plan the conversation, and that’s kind of the beauty of it.
Lately, we’ve started pulling up random conversation prompts while we eat. The questions are always random, things like “What’s something you’ve always wanted to learn?” or “Where would you live if money didn’t matter?” They’re not things we’d normally bring up in the middle of a busy week, but somehow they lead to the best talks. Sometimes we laugh the whole time, other times we end up talking about things that matter more than we expected. Either way, it’s fun, and it reminds me how easy it is to connect when we make the space for it.
By the time we’re heading home, the night usually goes one of two ways. We either keep talking in the car or turn the music up and sing the whole way. It depends on our moods, but either way, I always end the night feeling lighter. Grateful. Closer. It’s like those few hours pull us back to the same page.
Marriage isn’t all big moments and grand gestures. Most of it happens in the middle of everyday life, but every now and then, it’s nice to step outside that rhythm and just enjoy each other. A meal, a conversation, a drive home. It’s simple, but it matters.
If it’s been a while since you’ve had a date night, plan one. Not because you should, but because you’ll be surprised by how much it fills you back up, not just as a couple, but as people who still really like being together.
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