When Abigail met Gregory in 2001, they weren’t even living in the same city. “We met at a luau in Boston while I was living in New York City and Greg was living in Chicago,” Abigail begins, “we started talking at a mutual friend’s party and haven’t stopped since.”
Abigail and Gregory returned to their respective cities and began a long-distance courtship. They talked on the phone, emailed, and wrote letters, and Abigail says, “The first few months of us not being together was the greatest way to strengthen our relationship because we weren’t distracted by being together.” Taking time to truly get to know one another allowed Greg to confidently move to New York three months later. Then a year after that, the two were married.
When it comes to marital relationships, couples who delight in spending time with their partner report higher satisfaction in life and lower stress. This is especially true for Abigail and Greg Maupin. “You’d think because we spend all of our time together (we live together and work together), we’d have run out of stuff by now, but we have such common interests there’s always something we can do together,” Abigail explains. Movies, travel, books, and game nights are only a handful of activities this couple loves to do together. And all these hobbies and adventures keep them engaged, and as Abigail says, “It means we don’t get bored.”
Happiness for Abigail and Greg means connecting and continuing to stay close as a couple. “We take date nights and there’s a real mindfulness in doing that,” Abigail says. Having a date night with your spouse or partner gives you a chance to check in and deepen your bond. This is why Greg and Abigail are intentional about setting aside time to have conversations and make sure they’re taking time together. Over the years, Greg and Abigail’s relationship has evolved steadily, with the occasional short burst propelling them forward—but always together. Creating intentional time together and being aware of their connection supports their relationship “We do like doing things together,” Abigail says. This keeps them grounded and most importantly…happy.
By Tonilyn Hornung
P.S. Here is how one woman started new friendships from afar.
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