I had no idea how much stress my husband felt trying to navigate through the Tokyo business environment. I had no idea how to reach him. And when we stopped really talking, I thought it was because we were no longer interested in each other, when in fact we were simply afraid. Our mutual resentment was so huge that we kept quiet to avoid adding to it, or dealing with it. I put my head together with a relationship counsellor.
Chocolates are easy, especially if there's no accompanying message.
I will listen, and I promise not to get defensive. In short, to give to each other by initiating a feeling conversation. The problem, as too many of us know, is that most couples, when they talk about their feelings, have an argument. The key is trying to keep your perspective, trying not to take everything personally. It's so hard.