Side by side

In my neighborhood, I’ve noticed that there are couples who walk side by side and those who one person is in front of the other?  One couple in particular intrigues me.  They never seem to walk at the same pace.  Either the husband is out in front of the wife or it is quite the opposite and he is lagging behind.  Granted, they are out for exercise, not to win couple of the year, but I still find it interesting that walking together seems somewhat impossible.  (Hint: one person slows down or the other speeds up.)  It makes me wonder about their interactions at home.  Is it competitive?  Or maybe a power struggle is at play.  Other couples walk side by side – they may be out for exercise, but the togetherness is there too.  What about the short distance from the parking lot to the grocery store?  I’ve watched many couples not keep pace with their spouse even at this distance.  One person walks faster than the other. I find this very difficult to witness with an elderly couple; especially when one is handicapped.  I wonder how many years have gone by without the joy of walking side by side and basking in that togetherness.   This week, take time to walk with your spouse, side by side.