“Endurance is nobler than strength and patience than beauty.” (John Ruskin)

Immediacy is one the seven deadly sins of the 21^st century. We all bow down to the technology-driven belief that quicker is inherently better.

What this has done to our romantic relationships is incalculable. Gone are the love letters, the sonnets, and the serenades. In their place we thumb out emojis to our beloved. And if we don’t get a reply within a few minutes, we assume the worst: the feelings must not be equal. Love, in this age of “likes,” demands far more patience than this. It cannot be rushed into existence, nor can it only be nurtured 140 characters at a time.

I dare you: write a handwritten love note to your significant other. Nothing too gushing, just a half-page of appreciation will do. Leave it somewhere for them to find it later in the day.

Then…wait. Don’t ask about it, don’t call to in order to prompt a response. Sit with the anxiety of anticipation, like a farmer waits for new sprouts to emerge.