Today is our eighth wedding anniversary. Four of those years have been spent in the States and the other four in Scotland. Putting aside any negative thoughts about marriage as an institution, being committed to a partner for the long term is a beautiful thing. I know I shouldn’t need an anniversary (or a holiday) to remind me of the beauty in my own marriage, but I’m only human and need all the help I can get.

One of my favorite memories of our wedding was participating in a lightweight version of a Haldi ceremony where family and friends smeared us with turmeric paste to (and I’m paraphrasing greatly here) encourage good health and keep us protected from evil. Our clothes were pretty much ruined afterward, but we laughed a lot. It was awkward and lovely at the same time, just like most ceremonies and just like life, really.

Fast forward to today, and I’m reminded that the turmeric paste is long gone but can always be made again and reapplied. In fact, it must be, in some form or another.

Relationships can be hard, and love is something you have to actively do over and over again, reapplying whatever your unique blend of spices is. As far as I can tell, this is the key to making relationships last.