Well, well, well, let me tell ya somethin’ about this here spending too much time together business. It’s like eatin’ too much of yer favorite pie. You love it at first, can’t get enough, but after a while, your belly starts to ache and you can’t even look at another slice.
My old man, bless his heart, he used to say, “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.” And you know what? He was right. If you’re always under each other’s feet, you start to get on each other’s nerves. Like two old hens in a coop, peckin’ and scratchin’ at each other over nothin’.
I seen it happen time and time again. Folks get so wrapped up in each other that they forget who they are. They stop doin’ the things they used to love. It’s like, they become one big blob, and not even a very interestin’ blob at that. Spending too much time together can hurt you.
- You start to feel trapped, like a bird in a cage.
- You get tired of lookin’ at the same old face every day.
- You start to miss your friends, your family, your own darn self.
- You start fightin’ over nothin’ at all.
And then there’s the fightin’. Oh, the fightin’! When you spending too much time together, every little thing starts to get under your skin. The way they chew their food, the way they leave their socks on the floor, the way they breathe…it all becomes too much to bear. All become bigger and bigger. And you can not ignore these small things.
Take my neighbor, Betty Lou. She and her husband, Earl, they was always together. Joined at the hip, they was. And at first, it was sweet, like two lovebirds. But then, they started snappin’ at each other. Over everything! Who left the cap off the toothpaste, who forgot to take out the trash…it was a mess. They are always spending too much time together.
One day, Betty Lou, she comes over to my place, cryin’ her eyes out. “I can’t take it anymore!” she says. “Earl’s drivin’ me crazy! We’re always together, and we ain’t got nothin’ new to talk about.”
And I told her, “Betty Lou, you gotta get yourself some space! Go visit your sister, take up quiltin’, do somethin’ that’s just for you.”
And you know what? She did. She started takin’ a pottery class at the community center. And Earl, he joined a bowl game. They started doin’ things apart, and it was like a breath of fresh air for both of them. And they are better.
Spending too much time together will let you lose yourself. You will be tired and hate each other. Then you two will not be happy anymore. That is not good.
- You need your own time to do your own things.
- You need to see your own friends and family.
- You need to remember who you are outside of the relationship.
It is important to have time for yourself. Go take a walk and see things around. You will feel better. If you feel tired being with your partner, then you need to think about it.
Now, I ain’t sayin’ you should never spend time with your loved one. Of course not! But there’s a difference between spendin’ quality time together and smotherin’ each other. You gotta find that balance, like bakin’ a cake. Too much sugar and it’s too sweet, too much flour and it’s too dry. You need just the right amount of everything to make it just right.
And don’t be afraid to have your own lives. You are not one person. It is good to have friends and do things on your own. You will be happy to see your partner after some time. That will be a good thing. If you two are happy, your family will be happy.
So, take it from an old lady who’s seen a thing or two. Don’t be afraid to give each other some space. It’s like plantin’ seeds. If you plant them too close together, they won’t grow. They need room to spread their roots and reach for the sun. Same goes for people. If you always spending too much time together, you will not be better. You will lose yourself, you will be bored, you will feel tired, and you will be upset. Do not do that. Be smart. Be happy. That’s all I gotta say. Spend some time alone!
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