John & Abigail Adams

 One of my favorite love movies to watch is Love Actually. Just the opening sequence of it makes me cry. All the people greeting each other at Heathrow with the voiceover from Hugh Grant that says:

 When the planes hit the Twin Towers, as far as I know none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge - they were all messages of love

I realize that we only seem to make our communication count when everything is all wrong. Or we are truly saying goodbye. People often say that you are lucky if someone has passed away and you got to say all you wanted to say. 

I can tell you that I have had those opportunities to say all I wanted to but that doesn't bring peace when you continue to live life and there are new things to tell the person you miss so much.

Everyday conversation between a husband and wife is often:

Wife: Did you get milk?

Husband: I didn't know I had to.

Wife: (sighs and rolls eyes)

But think back to the long conversations you used to have when you first started dating. Long nights. With shared intimacies. I bet they don't really happen anymore. Why? Those were great days. Problem is we know each other's stories. You don't want to hear them again and again. So how do we bridge the gap between what our communication was and what it has become?

So, in this episode of Pat and Mary Save Their Marriage we look at one of the greatest communicating couples of all time, John and Abigail Adams. We know this because they left their letters behind. Letters. Wasn't it nice when we wrote letters? Since we can't go backwards, Pat and I learn a lesson about how to make our modern communication count!

Antony & Cleopatra - The Last Tango in Alexandria

This is where it all started for us.

Some years ago, at the Peoples Improv Theater's first "Sketchprov" festival, we got the suggestions of "Tango" along with "Antony & Cleopatra" at the same time. What unfolded was something like this extremely historically accurate scene.

Ida and Isidor

100 years ago the Titanic sunk. Absolute devastation. All the lives lost. Stories untold. The saddest part is that for generations to come people will think of Kate and Leo. I loved the movie. The first half anyway.

Some years ago one of my brothers bought my mother a Christmas present of tickets to “Titanic the Musical”. They always buy her 2 tickets and it's always understood that I will go with her. I was not excited for this one. Thought it was a knock off of the movie.

Well, I love to be wrong. I loved it! I mean, truly loved it. The musical focused on what was important, the lives and dreams of the passengers, no matter what class passenger. The story that knocked me back was Ida and Isidor Strauss. Ironically, it was the only true love story in the musical. They were well known since he was an owner of Macy's. In the video you will hear their story but what struck me in the musical was the song they sang entitled, “Still” towards the end of the show. The sentiment of the song was simple. “I loved you then and I love you Still”.

The way you move meStillFeels as it didWhen you first became mineWhispered the words"I will"...I loved you thenAnd I love youStill

In the hustle and bustle of jobs, kids, grocery shopping etc.... how often do we turn to our spouse and say, “I still love you.” My guess is not often enough. So next time you remind your significant other to change the light bulb in the hall already. Finish it with I STILL love you. Even though the light has been out for 2 weeks.

See what other lessons we learned from this beautiful story of love and how we applied those lessons to our modern day marriage.

Enjoy the video!!!

And if you are interested check out these links: