Learning to Appreciate My Spouse in a Marriage Enrichment Retreat in Oakville, Ontario

The couples' retreat was organized by CFC, Canada

Over the Canada Day weekend, instead of travelling out of town for a long weekend holiday, my spouse and I did something different this year.

We learned about the couple's retreats run by CFC sometime ago and heard a lot of positive comments about them. This time, we finally had the opportunity to take part in this marriage enrichment retreat.











I was really looking forward to this three day/ two night retreat in Oakville. We left the city on early Saturday morning and arrived at the retreat site before 10a.m., the starting time.  J. and N. were there at the entrance of the hotel greeting the participants and directed us to the third floor conference room.

We took part in a marriage enrichment retreat on the Canada Day weekend

There were nine couples taking part with four leading couples. A very good ratio indeed!

However,  when I first read the program at the retreat, my heart sank as the schedules were packed for the three days with workshops and activities leaving little free time to us.

The program started right at 10a,m and went all the way to 9pm with only an hour for lunch and dinner and an 1/2 hour free time after lunch and  before dinner.

Our 3 day schedules were full  with workshops and hands on activities

However, as the day unfolded and different couples leading the workshops, we found ourselves  enjoying the workshops and the many planned interactive activities.

Lots of sharing at the couples' retreat

Of the numerous workshops we had at this couples' retreat, there was one that touched everyone in our group.

 It was called the Depositing in Your Relationship Account.

We have learned that in order to improve our relationship with our loved ones, we need to have a high "Deposit" in our Relationship Account and avoid " Withdrawals" from it.

What is a Deposit in our Relationship Account?

Anytime we take our time to thank our loved ones and express to them how much we appreciate them is a Deposit.

On the contrary, every time we criticize or hurt our loved one's feelings intentionally or unintentionally, we are making a Withdrawal from our Relationship Account.

We learned a lot from our leading couples

Our leading couple taught and demonstrated to us the steps needed to follow when making a Deposit in our Relationship Account followed by our turns to practise the proper steps with our spouses.

When it was our turns to Deposit in our account, we each expressed our appreciation, thanked our spouses and told them what they meant to us.  There were not too many dry eyes in the room and it was a touching moment for all of us!

R.T.
Marriage Enrichment Retreat
Oakville, Ontario