Love Bunny

I wouldn’t exactly say that the hubby and I are poster children for a great marriage. We, like most married for 35+ years, have had our share of arguments and moments where we wondered if calling the divorce attorney was the next best move for us.

But, as the hubby says, “No one else would put up with me and I don’t want HIV/AIDS.” The same could be said of me.

So, what do you do when your marriage has its ups and downs?

My answer is silliness. Yes, silliness.

If a couple can maintain a sense of humor and playfulness in the midst of all the serious things they must address, then the marriage can probably make it to the “other side.”

How to be silly?

I think the best silliness comes from your creativity and works for you as a couple. But, let me suggest one crazy idea that just might make marriage fun again. The best part? It’s cheap and it doesn’t take a lot of time.

Enter Love Bunny.

When the kids were young, we seemed to be besieged by too many small toys. I was picking them up, yet again, when I came across this psychedelic, very ugly little stuffed bunny. I almost threw him out. (And no, I don’t know why we refer to him as a him.) But he was so ugly, he was cute.

So, I decided to hide him somewhere where my hubby would find him quite accidentally. I probably read about a similar idea somewhere, but I honestly don’t remember what caused me to hide him.

Sure enough, Love Bunny (and I don’t know why we call him Love Bunny, either) was “unearthed” and a few days later I found Love Bunny hiding in a place that is more “my domain.”

The hiding thing has been ongoing for decades now. Sometimes we don’t see Love Bunny for eons because he is so well hidden. But, sooner or later, he is found and the silliness begins as we hide him all over the place.

The challenge? Thinking of a new place to hide him where he won’t be thrown out or sold in a garage sale inadvertently and where he has never been hidden before. And I think, to this day, he has never wound up in the same place twice.

I honestly can’t remember all the places I’ve found Love Bunny, but most recently, he was in the deep recesses of my backpack. I subsequently put him amidst some boxes we are taking to the cabin. And I know I have found Love Bunny in various drawers and even the freezer. Likewise, the hubby has found Love Bunny in his suitcase and the car.

When I find Love Bunny, he always puts a smile on his face. Why? Because he has a rather cute smile himself. And I love how my hubby thinks up new places to hide him just so I can discover him somewhere else much later. It’s just a small way that I know my hubby is thinking of me and cares about maintaining our crazy relationship.

Things getting a little stale in your marriage? Not sure if you’re ever going to find your way back to the love you once had for each other? I’ve been there.

My solution and suggestion? Go find a Love Bunny yourself; put a note on it explaining his or her purpose; and hide him or her somewhere your spouse will frequent soon. Don’t have a spouse? How about sharing your Love Bunny with a family member, such as one of the offspring (or all of them) or a great friend? If you, one day, run across your Love Bunny somewhere else, you’ll know that silliness is starting to heal the rift or staleness.

It just might keep you from calling the divorce attorney. Last time I checked a very serious divorce cost a lot more than a little silliness.