One of my favorite poems is “How Do I Love Thee, Let Me Count the Ways” by Elizabeth Barrett Browning. It speaks to the depths of my emotion and I often think, I feel the same way about my husband. He always smiles when I quote the poem to him. He loves the hear the words even though they were first pinned to another man by another woman born over two hundred years ago.

Expression of love through poetry is a wonderful way to say things to your lover that you might not know how to say in your own words. Even though there are hundreds of different ways to express your love this may be one of the best kept secrets of all. Yes, you should still surprise your partner with special gifts on special dates - that’s a given for any romantic relationship. But, if you really want to touch the chord of romance deep within their soul, try romantic poetry..

And, don’t worry if you’re not a poet! Your local library is full of books. The Internet is also a rich resource of poetry for romantic occasions. Or, visit your Hallmark Card Shop. They have a wealth of romantic poetry to commemorate any special occasion.

The best way, however, is always to pen your own heart-felt emotions. Again, you don’t have to worry that you are not a poet. You don’t need to be one. Just write what’s in your heart — it doesn’t have to rhyme and the meters do not have to balance. Just say it.

Now, I realize this may be easier for women to do than men. I remember when my husband and I were dating and he discovered our mutual love of poetry. We decided we would quote or read poems to each other to express our love. One day, he put his arms around me and starting quoting one of his favorite poems in a deep husky voice,

“Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore–
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping–rapping at my chamber door.
“‘Tis some visitor,” I muttered, “tapping at my chamber door–
Only this and nothing more.”

I leaned back from him, laughter bubbling up inside. “Edgar Allen Poe! That’s not a romantic poem!” I cried out, laughing so hard tears were coming to my eyes. Undaunted, he finished the whole sordid poem while I laughed harder and harder. When he finished I sobered up enough to ask him, “What, pray tell, was romantic about that poem?”

“I had my arms around you,” he replied. “And I loved every minute of it. Didn’t you?”

He had me there. It was a lot of fun. And I did love his efforts. He’s a little better these days about finding the right poem. But when we first started wooing each other with romantic poetry he wasn’t all that good at it. But I loved it just the same.

So will your partner. Give it a try!

[tags]romance, romantic poem, poetry, poems[/tags]

Even though you found your soul mate and you have settled into that “happy ever after” experience known as being married, problems have a way to find you. In fact, there are some problems so severe they could destroy your marriage - if you let them. The reason for this is perhaps the very nature of the union itself” the joining of two individuals who come from different backgrounds, perhaps even different cultures. In such a scenario problems, misunderstandings and personality conflicts are bound to happen.

Couple that with any left over baggage from a previous failed marriage and you can see the possibility of an eventual conflict.

If you are one of the fortunate people who finally have met and married your true soulmate even the smallest conflict can have a devastating effect on your entire life. But, it doesn’t have to be that way. Problems can be resolved. Conflicts can be avoided. Marriages can be saved IF you will take a few necessary steps.

1. Start by facing the problems. Be honest with yourself and your spouse. Don’t run away or try to hide the fact that problems exist.

2. Get everything out in the open. How can you fight an enemy that you cannot see?

3. Recall the special times in your life, those romantic times you spent together. Recall the passion. Relive the moments. Why? Because sometimes it is necessary to rekindle the flame. This doesn’t mean the love is dead, it just needs to be re-ignited at times.

4. Allow your partner to share his/her feelings. Don’t shut them out by interrupting with objections to why they shouldn’t be feeling this way or that.

5. If it is a serious issue, don’t be afraid to seek help outside your marriage. A counselor can help you see areas that are hidden and help you deal with problems that seem insurmountable.

Yes, you really can live “happily ever after” but if you are a human being you will have to work at it.
[tags]soul mate, soulmate, save your marriage[/tags]

Buying an engagement ring can be a confusing task for the man, especially if he has no idea about rings and even precious metals and gemstones. Here’s a guide to help the clueless men out there.

1. Take the girlfriend out shopping. While shopping for other things, the man can try bringing his girlfriend somewhere near where rings are being sold. Pass by a shop and pretend to look at them. More often than not, the woman will give her opinion on what she thinks looks best among those on display. This will give the man a hint on what to buy.

2. While number 1 is lame, the man can also look into his girlfriend’s sense of style. If she likes fancy dresses, then the man should get a fancy ring that will surely, well, tickle her fancy. Otherwise, a simple ring will do.

3. But if all else fails, it would be better for you to take your girlfriend along when buying the ring so you can be sure what she will like. You might want to find a creative way of doing this rather than simply saying, -Come on honey, let’s buy you an engagement ring. Try a little romance. It sure can’t hurt!
Of course every person is unique and your goal is to ultimately please that special woman you’ve chosen to be your bride. So, start thinking of the possibilities early in your relationship so buying that ring won’t be so stressful.

[tags]engagements, engagement ring, getting married[/tags]

The wedding ring is the ultimate symbol of the couple’s union and their vow of being faithful to each other. It is worn on the couple’s left ring finger because of an ancient belief that it had a vein that led directly to the heart.

One of the first steps that a couple takes before their wedding is buying a wedding ring for each of them. This is an important step because they are choosing something that will symbolize their union throughout the rest of their lives.

Here are some tips on buying a wedding ring for couples who are looking for one.

1. Unlike engagement rings, wedding rings do not need to look fancy. Most wedding rings are simple bands with very little design on the surface. Besides, grooms have already broken the bank in buying the engagement ring, so he might as well find rings that will fit not only his and his future bride’s fingers, but also his now depleted budget.

2. Couples usually choose to engrave their names or a simple statement inside their wedding bands. While most jewelers offer this service for free or include this already in the bill, the couple should check out first if this is the case in their jewelry shop of choice.

3. The couple should also be aware of the average prices of different precious metals so they can choose what will fit their budget. This is to prevent couples from adjusting their budget to the price rather than the other way around.
[tags]wedding rings, buying a wedding ring, wedding band[/tags]

Here are a few tips (read that “tricks”) to have that man eating out of your hand:

1. Establishing eye contact with your date will let him know that you are listening. Heck, you might not even be interested in his a thing he is saying — but keep your eyes on him the whole time he is talking. Noting irritates a man more than to have his date’s eyes wandering all over the room while he is talking. You want him to eat out of your hands? Then keep your eyes on him.

2. When it’s your time to talk — do it. You’ll know when would be the right time to talk. Tell him things about your wonderful self. Make your stories long. If it seems that he’s not listening, maybe he is not really interested in you. Most men do not like silent girls. Other men do not like very annoying and loud ones. Most men are picky, and that is just the way they should be. Don’t be afraid of this fact. All you have to do is speak out and he will hear you for sure. Don’t be afraid to be yourself while you’re out on a date with him.

3. Be natural yet not exaggerated. Keeping silent will make you invisible to him. Loud mouthing will surely be annoying for your date.

4. Sometimes, it’s not a bad idea to make the first move. If you feel that your date is too shy, make the first move. It may help him step up then take over from there. Don’t be scared to take risks and turn it into opportunities! Sometimes, most men can’t read signs. They might just be inexperienced or simply stupid. On the other hand, maybe they’re both. Now, I don’t mean to throw yourself at him like a wanton woman. Believe it or not men do not really like that - they like mystery; they like to be the hunter.

But, sometimes you have to help them out a little.

They may simply need the woman to say a few “magic words”. Now if you happen to like a man that obviously likes you but cannot come up with the right words, make the move and try asking him out. It won’t hurt to try doing the first move. After all, who does the first move doesn’t matter in times like these since what matters most is for you to express what you really feel for your date.
[tags]dating tips, romance, dating tips for women[/tags]