Relationship Improvement Center

A Gift From the Heart of a Friend
By Steve Brunkhorst

She stares at me and then closes her eyes. A tinge of early dawn plays on her cheek as it peeks through the glass curtains by my desk. I grow warmer, waiting in silence for her first uncertain word and the gentle touch of her hand. She fidgets and rocks in her chair. She cannot hold her thoughts inside much longer.

We ve been meeting like this for months. Some days she rambles, pouring out her soul. She talks of yesterday s sorrows and tomorrow s distant shores. She tells me her needs, desires, dreams, and passions.

Sometimes she teases me with impossible notions that she only wishes she believed. When she s feeling light, she weaves amusing tales and tells me jokes. I accept her as perfect always perfect as she is.

Finally she opens her eyes, and a tear drop falls. The emotions are about to flow. “Okay,” she whispers under her breath. I see her desperation and project my own inner light toward her. Her eyes glow with expectancy. She pours out her soul and discovers buried treasures.

She paints a portrait of her father and rehearses what she will tell him after all these years. She s filled with hope that he will finally understand. Her spirit lifts. My mind dances furiously recording her thoughts and prayers.

Perhaps if she explains honestly, he will listen, and they can finally heal the relationship. Today she isn t muddling in the past. She is moving forward. Today is a new beginning.

She connects with the core of her being and pauses briefly to reminisce. She plays with a vivid memory, and more tears come tears of joy. She pauses again, and I wait.

I grasp every privileged thought and confession. Her emotions rush like unrelenting rivers until she s quiet, still, and at peace.

She whispers, “There s nothing more to say now.”

She asks me to remember her most secret longings, to guard them like precious mysteries. Again, I do.

She leaves feeling lighter, at ease, and confident. Will she call him or write to him? I won t ever ask, and she will tell me when the time is right.

Sometimes I wish I could feel emotions like she does and tell her what to say that would make everything alright. But I will not interfere.

I have no delicate heart like hers only a large and finite memory to preserve her most endeared treasures.

I m simply her computer, a faithful ear in the early morning hours when she pours out her soul through my keyboard a precious gift from the heart of a friend.

© Copyright by Steve Brunkhorst. Reprinted from Achieve! 60-Second Nuggets of Inspiration. Achieve! brings great stories, motivational nuggets, and inspiring thoughts to brighten your day and help you achieve more in your life and career. Get the next issue by visiting http://achieveezine.com.

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7 Tips For The Perfect Wedding Shower Invitation
By Shauna Arthurs

When planning for the wedding shower of a friend or relative, part of the process will involve sending out invitations. This article will help you with ideas for where to get them, how to address them and ideas for styles and themes.

Styles and themes

You can take your cues from any number of sources, such as:

Use the planned theme or color scheme of the upcoming wedding to inspire the shower invitations. For example, if the wedding will be held on a beach, you can get some fun casual invitations with a beach reference or picture.

Since the shower is named after rain, many wedding shower planners find that an umbrella motif or invitations and d?cor that speaks of showers of happiness is an appropriate and catchy theme.

If the shower is to be held during a specific season known for certain visuals, you may take your cue and have invitations to invoke the season, for example brightly colored fall leaves for an autumn shower.

Where to get the invitations

Traditional wedding invitation companies usually carry an array of printable shower invite templates. You can also try:

Stationery stores: Not only are these stores goldmines for both creative ideas as well as different colors and styles of paper and envelopes, many also carry actual shower and party invitations - you might find just the perfect invitation for a wedding shower brunch.

Printing companies: Drop by your local printing and copying store. They carry lots of paper and many will have ideas to help. Quite a few also carry invitation books - like wallpaper books - that you can order a la carte from.

Internet: Try ebay or other online auctions, and try google, which will often bring up craigslist ads or others from people who have blank unused or bulk invitations to sell.

Addressing the invitations

The level of formality of the planned shower will dictate how you address the invitations. Of course you will want to include the date, time, location and dress code, if any. Also be sure and mention important details such as whether or not the shower is a surprise, bridal registry information and RSVP information.

Shauna Arthurs is a writer/editor and Co-founder/owner of a network of web-based help sites, including Create-the-perfect-wedding.com, home of the Amazing Wedding Planning system that helps brides save up to 70% on all wedding expenses - Guaranteed! For even more planning tips, help the bride out with the Amazing Wedding Planning guide at Create-the-perfect-wedding.com

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5 Ways to Save on Wedding Decor
By Cori Locklin

After selecting the perfect reception site, it’s all about the details. Consider the venue a blank canvas upon which to create your stylistic masterpiece. Event d?cor can make or break the ambiance, but don’t assume it has to break your wedding budget. Rememberless is always more. With my sound advice, you can find simple ways to get the most bang for your decorating buck.

Choose Wisely -
Make your wedding venue work for you - not against you. Find a ceremony and reception site that complements your desired style - so that you don’t have to decorate around it with pricey floral arrangements. For instance, if you envision a relaxed natural setting, go with a park or botanical garden. Or for a formal stately affair, consider a museum or historical building, with dominant architecture as your wedding backdrop.

Something Borrowed -
Add a personalized touch and honor your heritage by using family photos as wedding d?cor pieces. Gather some stylish frames and ask for photos from both sides from the family (black and white works perfectly here). These inexpensive touches can embellish your guest book table or decorate otherwise d?cor-impaired spaces in the facility.

Think Double Duty -
Wedding flowers are pricey, so make your floral arrangements earn their keep. Invite your ceremony flowers to the reception! You can use them to decorate your cake or gift table - and your guests will never be the wiser.

Go For Impact -
Unfortunately, some elements of your special day simply go unnoticed by guests. So if your budget won’t allow you to drape your entire reception area in stylish d?cor pieces, relax. You can still create a noticeable impact by saving your decorating dollars for the areas that will pack the biggest punch - such as the entranceway.

See The Light -
The right lighting can transform an ordinary room into something extraordinary. If hiring a lighting technician is out of your budget, consider creating this effect with candles. Fill glass bowls with floating candles and flowers, or place a single pillar candle in a hurricane lantern for a dramatic effect. The result is romantic and elegantand inexpensive.

For more articles and advice to help you plan your wedding decor, visit Elegala.com s complete Wedding Flowers guide.

Cori Locklin is editor-in-chief for Elegala.com and Elegala Magazine (and a recent bride!). Elegala is a new wedding planning resource offering the most comprehensive portfolio of superior wedding reception sites and wedding services, along with planning tips, photo galleries and checklists to keep brides in-the-know on today s wedding trends and styles.

For a complete guide to creating an elegant and memorable wedding celebration, visit Elegala.com, your ultimate wedding planning resource.

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25 Easy Romantic Ideas
By L.A. Hunter

1. Bury a time capsule together with trinkets and love letters to each other. Draw a map with an X marking the spot. Store the map in your safety deposit box or in another safe place. Dig it up in 10 or 20 years.

2. Create a music disk of love songs, fun songs or songs that remind you of each other.

3. Plant a post-it note or two in a book your love is reading. Write “I love you,” I want you,” or “XOXOXO.”

4. Go to a photo booth at the mall together. Fool around while having your photo taken. Keep the photos in your car or at work for when you need a fun pick-me-up.

5. Plant a tree together and talk about how you will carve your names in it with a heart in 20 years.

6. Go to a coffee shop - just to sit together and talk. Or get coffee to go - go for a long scenic drive together.

7. Be naughty, play hooky together. Do whatever you want together.

8. Send your love at letter at work. Disguise it in a business envelope. Make it happy for a pick me up, loving for romance and naughty if you re planning a date that evening.

9. Heart shaped notes - use one at a time or 20 at a time. Plant little messages throughout the house or garage to add a thrill.

10. Pick up some dipping chocolate and strawberries or cherries at your local grocery store. This makes an incredibly romantic dessert for two.

11. Drive for an hour or two just to have a picnic or stop at a restaurant you ve never been at.

12. Name a Star together. When you’re apart you can look up at your star and know someone is out there waiting for your safe return.

13. Use glow in the dark stars and a black light to create a romantic night sky inside.

14. Create a spa atmosphere at home. Candles, essential oils and burners, mood music and massagers or other relaxation products can be purchased at almost any department store or bath shop.

15. Godiva, the fine chocolate maker, has developed wonderfully tasting chocolate liquor. Use wine glasses to serve it for dessert.

16. On a special night, dim the lights and put on soft music. Then, undress leaving a trail of your clothes from the front door to the bedroom just before your love is about to arrive home.

17. Sit by the fire together roasting marshmallows.

18. While your love is taking a shower, sneak in and write, “I love you!” on the steamed mirror.

19. Make a puzzle of a love letter or brochure for a surprise getaway. Send a piece to your love everyday until it’s complete. Or leave a piece on the table or dresser everyday.

20. Make a tape recording asking your love to meet you somewhere or tell them how much they are loved.

21. Next time you’re walking anywhere, grab your love’s hand or walk arm and arm.

22. Make a “Prescription for Love” on the computer. Fill it out using words like: take two doses of love and come see me now or take with kisses twice daily. Use an empty medication bottle without the label, inside you can fill with heart candies or erotic messages.

23. Plan a surprise anniversary party for your love.

24. Leave a Hershey’s Kiss where it will be found with a note, “I’m thinking of kissing you.”

25. Just call to say, “I love you,” “I’m thinking of you” or “I miss you.”

Romance expert and author L.A. Hunter has combined hundreds of romantic ideas, tips and other relationship advice into the most complete guide ever published just for men.
Her guide “Romeo s Playbook” looks and reads like a sports playbook perfect for any man! It is the best husband/boyfriend “How To” book available today.

L.A. Hunter is also the founder of http://www.RomeosPlaybook.com where men and women can get free romantic ideas, tips and advice.

You may freely include this article in your ezine, on your website or distribute it to others, provided you do not change it and you include the bio information.

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A Rich Successful Guy: Is That What You Have To Be To Get Dates
By Tonja Weimer

Are you a rich successful guy, or do you think you can’t find the person you want because you don’t have enough money? Does it seem like having more success would bring you more dates?

One guy I met recently told me that he has to drive an expensive new car, even though he can’t afford it. He thinks the car will attract dates for him. I also met a young woman who thinks that guys only care about how someone looks so she spends most of her time shopping. What she is really shopping for is a guy who can afford to take care of her.

Since both of these people share the perspective that it is their presentation that matters most, if they aren’t careful, they may run into each other.

If you are not a rich guy, and if you are tempted to act like you are, you are not living the truth. What kind of a girl do you think you will attract? If you are a woman and your self worth is tied to your looks, what kind of a guy do you think you will find? You might want to stop and think about what you are doing. Ask yourself the following questions:

*What does rich mean to me?

If you are trying to get noticed for what you wear or drive or own, you will always be a beggar. Because essentially, what you are doing is begging for attention to feel worthy. You will never find the love you want by believing that you are your possessions.

*What kind of person do I want to spend my life with?

If someone is attracted to you for your possessions, or how you look, you will never feel safe with them. If they are drawn to your false presentation, you will not trust them because you know you are not being yourself. You may also attract the same kind of person.

*Am I lucky?

Luck is when preparation and hard work meet opportunity. When two people meet who have earned what they have, their chances of happiness are strong. Romantic love has a good chance of surviving if it exists between equals. Both people need to be able to take care of themselves. One of them cannot be looking for a free ride.

*Do I have a career plan?

What do you want to accomplish in your life? Where are your talents and your deep interests? What do you need to do to develop the skills that can get you what you want? Do you need to go back to school, take a course online, or find a teacher to mentor you? You may have abilities that just need to be polished and presented in new ways.

The young man and woman who wanted cars and clothes to make them look good were heading down a road to disillusionment. If they had found each other, both of them would have blamed the other for their unhappiness.

Finding the life you want and the love you long for won’t be achieved through deception. Most of us know that it isn’t the quantity of goods that we have that would make us loveable, but rather, the quality of our life that makes us attractive. Soget ready to embrace your new life. Your happier, honest, fulfilling new life. It is possibleand you deserve it.

Visit http://www.tonjaweimer.com or http://www.singlesdatingtips.com for more tips, skills, and insight on dating, relationships, singles, and love. Subscribe to our F*ree Savvy Dating Newsletter from master single s coach, life coach, and syndicated columnist, Tonja Weimer. Copyright 2006, Tonja Weimer. (Please note source if reprinting this article.)

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