Is it normal to miss the beginning of a relationship?

It sure is.

We all miss the butterflies in our stomach -- the sheer excitement of having someone new in our life. Maybe your partner did little things that filled you with immense joy, like deliver flowers to your job or leave love notes in your wallet.

Once the relationship begins to mature, these things tend to happen less often. As you transition from happy couple to married couple to parents, it becomes less about passionate love and more about companionship.

Going from seeing each other once or twice a week to living with one another changes the dynamics of a relationship tremendously. Whereas before you waited for your weekly date with bated breath, now you've fallen into a routine of seeing your partner every day.

Sometimes I miss the early days in my relationship, when I looked forward to seeing my now-wife with great anticipation. Everything felt new and exciting. We were getting to know each other. Our future together seemed promising.

Now that we've been together for almost 12 years, we practically know each other like the back of our hand. We know each other's best qualities and flaws. We sometimes know what the other is thinking before they utter a single word. The element of surprise is largely absent now.

Does this mean I would want to go back to the time we hooked up?

Absolutely not.

Growing comfortable with one another is a good thing. We have also gone through a series of tough situations over the last couple of years that have only made us stronger as a couple.

We're both wiser and more financially stable than when we got together. We're better equipped to handle life's curveballs now than ever before. We confide in each other.

And let's not forget: The beginning of a relationship isn't without its challenges. You really don't know at that point whether you're both compatible and if your relationship will survive past the honeymoon stage. Not having any history to go by -- starting from a clean slate, if you will -- can be as scary as it is thrilling.

What we have now is great -- just a different kind of great than that of the early days.

Couples in mature relationships need to do things to rekindle the spark every once in a while. Take vacations to new destinations. Hit up new restaurants. Learn a new language or how to play an instrument by taking classes together.

As long as you find ways to invigorate the relationship every so often, you can still experience exciting moments reminiscent of the early days.

Try to surprise each other. Be spontaneous. And those little gestures I alluded to earlier -- flowers, notes, chocolate -- should not be limited to Valentine's Day.

Relationships take work. With a little time and effort, you can recreate the excitement you both experienced -- or something to that effect -- when it all began.

Do you have Isolophilia? Find out...

You're probably asking yourself, "What in the world does Isolophilia mean?" It sounds like it would be something negative, doesn't it? After all, words that end in "philia" (e.g., pedophilia) tend to involve things we want nothing to do with. But Isolophilia isn't something all people deplore. In fact, introverts like me welcome it. Put simply, Isolophilia is defined as having a strong affinity for solitude. It describes a person who relishes being alone. While extroverts can only take so much solitude, we introverts find that it rejuvenates us. In order to recharge our batteries, we need to retreat to a quiet environment where we we're left alone to rest and/or gather our thoughts. Extroverts, on the other hand, become bored and drained when they're alone for a lengthy period of time. Social interaction is the fuel that drives them. So while an extrovert would probably do anything to avoid feelings of Isolophilia in most cases, an...

No response from someone IS a response

Make no mistake about it: When you don't get a response from someone -- whether they fail to answer your texts or return your phone calls -- it is still a response, and a powerful one at that. When a person fails to respond, it's a direct reflection of their interest -- or lack thereof -- in the relationship. Few things are more aggravating than having to hound a partner, friend, or relative for some sort of reply after we've reached out to them. Yes, we get busy from time to time, but that doesn't give anyone the right to leave the other person hanging. A terse text with something like "Been busy, will reach out soon" doesn't say much, but at least it shows some effort to bring the other person up to speed on why they've fallen off the radar. Failing to provide a response for weeks -- if not months -- communicates that you are just not a priority, and that you'll have to wait your turn to get this individual's attention. This is n...

An important note to women about men and attraction

I was raised by my mom, grandma, and two older sisters. Growing up, never did I ever take any interest in the girls at school who tended toward exposing more skin. I always treated them as I would my female family members -- with the utmost courtesy and respect. And anytime I suspected that a male friend or acquaintance of mine adopted a hump-and-dump attitude toward women, I nixed them from my life. I held men who treated women as objects in very low regard, and still do to this day. If women feel empowered to show off their bodies because they love and work hard on their physique, more power to them. In other words, if they're doing it to please THEMSELVES and no one else, good for them. However, those who do it specifically to curry men's favor are making a big mistake. It sends the wrong signals and actually makes it less likely that a man will want to stick around for a committed relationship (if that's what you want as anyway). Granted, if you're not lookin...

How To Understand People

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