My partner and I used to make each other laugh all the time and we haven't laughed together — really laughed — in a year and neither of us knows when that stopped or how to get it back. We keep trying to force fun moments but they feel performative, and I'm scared we've become one of those couples who just manages logistics together.
More people experience this than they realize.
The spontaneous joy that once defined a relationship has calcified into obligatory attempts at fun, leaving both people mourning a shared lightness they can't resurrect.
“Where Are You with The examined playful life?”
If this sounds familiar, the Library can help you find the bigger picture.