Thoughts on relationships

I know that I will probably lose some 'dude points' for posting this, but I am willing to take that risk.

A couple of days ago Janelle and I watched 'The Notebook'.
It is a major 'chick flick' but aspects of the story really resenated with me.
The story does a good job to show that life is sometimes messy and not perfect, but it does a great job of showing what a great relationship that we all long to have is filled with.....

Passion.
Devotion.
Tenderness.
Commitment.
Laughter.
Sacrifice.

At our core we all long to be loved that way.
But the bigger thing to me was that in order to be loved that way, you have to first commit to do that yourself.

There is a story about a Spanish explorer who when he landed on the shore of a new land with his troops he burned the ships so that there was no other option but to move forward and make things work.

I don't know any of the other specifics of that story, but the focus and commitment to a single goal has always stuck with me. And that is what I strive to have in my relationship with Janelle.
I don't get it right most of the time and it is still a work in progress, but there is no fall back.

There is no Plan B.

I commit myself and my life.
That is the relationship that I hope to live out.

And 'The Notebook' was a good reminder of that.
Thanks Nicolas Sparks.