Go for a walk: The Gift of Time Together

Spending quality time with my husband has always been close to my heart, though, like many of us, keeping it a priority hasn’t always been easy. Life pulls us in so many directions—work, raising kids, traveling for sports, and, more recently, caring for aging parents. For years, we thought a few family vacations would be enough to reconnect, to make up for all those moments when our minds were on something else. But we’ve since discovered that those short breaks weren’t quite what we needed.

Our answer has been simpler yet more profound: combining daily exercise with dedicated time for each other. And by exercise, I don’t mean a heart-pumping HIIT class or a high-speed strength circuit. Instead, we walk. Every morning, we carve out 1.5 hours to walk five miles together, moving at our own pace, free of distractions. That time has become our sacred ritual.

During our walks, we talk—a lot! We brainstorm about work, catch up on family happenings, and sometimes delve into conversations about politics or faith. We share our hopes, our thoughts about the future, and even wrestle with some of the self-doubts or memories that linger from the past. It’s a time to connect on a deeper level and, honestly, to just be with each other in the simplest way.

And, yes, occasionally I have to remind my husband we’re not out to break any fitness records! This walk isn’t about speed; it’s about slowing down and allowing ourselves to tune in to one another. It’s about stepping out of our usual environments and setting aside our endless to-do lists.

This daily rhythm not only strengthens our bond; it brings us both genuine happiness. We continue to learn about each other, deepening our understanding of what makes us each tick. And when I see the joy it brings him, I know we’ve found something truly special.