With Back to School Starting, blogger Damien Riley is back with his series called “Love Homework.” Previous posts in the series include: Mirroring for Couples and  Love Homework.

Hi there IMBL subscribers and readers!  It’s great to be back.  I’ve been meaning to continue this series on love homework because I feel it is so valuable to have cognitive things you can do when working on a relationship.  Today I found some homework that was really valuable and it wasn’t with a couples counselor or on a date:  I washed my wife’s car!  It was something that needed to be done especially on the inside.  I saw Taco Bell wrappers, for example, that are now no longer in print   My son and I drove it to an outdoor do it yourself bay and we had a blast using the machines and getting the car like a new one on the lot.

There is something bonding and endearing when you go through a loved ones trash.  That sounds very odd I know but trust me, it is true.  When you humble yourself enough to start sifting through their car, you sort of fall in love all over again.  I can imagine once again that sounds really strange but today it was true.  I know in the the past my wife has dome my ironing as a nice surpise and when she’s finished she has commented how she felt close to me ironing my work-shirts.  This stuff sounds strange but it really works. 

It may be ironing or washing a car or something totally different.  Whatever it is, I recommend you pick something they themselves must do for themeselves but have a hard time getting to.  Watch what it does for them … and surprisingly you!  And hey, if they say kissing makes you live longer, try some chores for your lover and you’ll live to 120!

Is there any love homework could you try in the next few days?  Thanks for being a subscriber or reader at IMBL!

Read more of Damien’s writing at his three blogs:
Postcards from the Funny Farm | Damien at the Speed of Life | Dynamite Lesson Plan