Love Isn’t Just Romance. It’s Friendship That Stayed

A couple looking at each other and laughing heartily.

Right from the moment you first set eyes on your partner, love can feel like magic.
Some people call it love at first sight. Butterflies. Chemistry. That initial spark.

But as time goes on, the real question becomes: what keeps two people together?

It’s not just romance.
It’s friendship.

Friendship that stays through tired days, misunderstandings, and seasons when life feels heavier than expected. Friendship built on understanding and compassion — nurtured over time, not assumed.

Two people don’t enter a relationship from the same starting point. We grow up in different households, shaped by different values, habits, and ways of communicating. So differences are inevitable.

Marriage and long-term love are hard work, not because something is wrong, but because growth requires patience.

Before the bickering, there was laughter.
Before frustration, there was curiosity.
Before expectations, there was friendship.

Sometimes love doesn’t need fixing.
Sometimes it just needs remembering.

Wishing you a gentle Valentine’s Day from Ruthy Michaels.

I create colouring books and journals designed to support emotional wellness — simple tools for slowing down, reflecting, and caring for ourselves and our families in everyday life.