Rand and I have been enjoying this season of the Amazing Race. They are experimenting with having half the teams made up of couples who have been dating or married for a while, and the other half who don't know one another but have been paired up as a sort of blind date.
It is a bit like our journey to Spain. Last year was like a blind date that lasted 35 days and nearly 500 kilometers. This year, however, we know one another.
How will this difference change our experience?
Just on our journey to get to Spain I already see that it is easier to complain to someone you know. When we were strangers I made a much greater effort to be my best self.
Last year I traveled from Ohio to Madrid and couldn't believe how close Spain is to the States. But this time, traveling from California to Madrid, it was nearly twice as far. We arrived exhausted and, while Rand seemed to be his usual happy self, excited to be in Spain again, I made a point of letting him know I wasn't having any fun.
Luckily the bus we were hoping to catch was full. I don't think I could have survived 5 more hours trying to sleep sitting up. So we made our way to the train station where I lay down for a 2 hour nap. Which, thankfully, was really all I needed to get an attitude adjustment.
While it wasn't the way I envisioned our return to Spain together, it was a good reminder that there will be benefits and potential pitfalls to knowing one another over being strangers. We know each other and our strengths and weaknesses, which will benefit us greatly. But we are also comfortable enough to be our more authentic selves.
In any relationship, whether racing around the world or sitting comfortably at home, it will serve us well to always work to be our best selves.
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