Jan 29 • General discussion
👩🏽‍⚖️Judging A Book by Its Cover📚
A Seasoned Chalkboard: The Journey to a Mature Marriage
The front cover of my book, Growing into a Mature Marriage: From Kindergarten to College, is a seasoned chalkboard—a powerful symbol of how marriage evolves over time. A seasoned chalkboard is smoother, easier to write on, and better at holding what is written upon it, just like a mature relationship. It doesn’t start that way. Both the chalkboard and marriage require experience and growth before they become stable, adaptable, and capable of holding deep and lasting lessons.
Kindergarten: Where It All Begins
Marriage often begins with innocence, excitement, and naivety—much like a kindergartener walking into their first classroom. In those early stages, we are like children writing with chalk on an untested surface. I wrote my name in kindergarten chalk, the letter “C” crooked and backward as a symbol of the early days of marriage, when things are imperfect, awkward, and we don’t always know how to communicate or navigate life together.
In kindergarten, we are just starting to learn the basics—how to read, write, and form connections. Similarly, in marriage, we are learning foundational skills like communication, compromise, and empathy. Mistakes are inevitable. We may misunderstand each other, fail to meet expectations, or stumble over responsibilities. But just like a child learning to write, we practice and improve through patience and experience.
👩🏽‍🏫Seasoning the Chalkboard: Growth Through Challenges
At first, a new chalkboard is difficult to write on—chalk doesn’t stick well, and the lines are faint or scratchy. But with continued use, the surface softens, and it becomes easier to write clearly. In marriage, this “seasoning” process happens through the challenges we face together.
The more life we live as a couple—sharing responsibilities, resolving conflicts, celebrating victories, and enduring hardships—the smoother our relationship becomes. Over time, we develop better communication, greater trust, and a deeper understanding of one another. Like a seasoned chalkboard, our marriage becomes a place where life’s lessons can be recorded and remembered without fear of breaking or crumbling under pressure.
This stage involves a lot of trial and error. It’s the time when we learn how to carry the weight of bills, children, careers, and dreams. We find out how to support each other without losing ourselves. The rough, unseasoned moments teach us to listen, adapt, and grow.
👩🏽‍🏫College: Reaching a Place of Maturity
By the time marriage reaches its “college” phase, we have seasoned our relationship through years of shared experiences. This is the point where my last name—the one I took on when I married my husband—comes into play. Written in bold, college-style font, it represents maturity, unity, and the strength we’ve built as partners.
In this phase, our relationship holds greater complexity, but also greater ease. We have learned how to work together toward common goals while maintaining our individuality. We’ve discovered how to handle the curveballs life throws at us without crumbling under stress. Much like the smooth, seasoned chalkboard, we are now equipped to plan and dream without the stumbling fear and confusion of those early days.
Our seasoned marriage has become a place where we can teach, learn, and thrive. Just as a student in college applies years of education to master their field, we now apply our years of marriage lessons to strengthen and sustain our relationship. We’ve reached a place where we understand each other’s needs, respect each other’s boundaries, and nurture one another’s growth.
We don’t erase the early chalk marks—the backward letters, the mistakes, or the rough patches. They are part of the story. Those imperfect beginnings helped prepare us for the maturity we now enjoy. The seasoned chalkboard, with its history of erased and rewritten lessons, is a testament to the growth we’ve experienced together.
This is the journey my book tells: from the innocence of kindergarten, through the challenges and growth of marriage, to the seasoned maturity of a partnership that can stand the test of time. It’s a reminder that the beauty of marriage lies not in perfection but in the process of becoming seasoned—together.
Now that you’ve read about the cover, discover what is inside, order your copy today - delycecollins.com
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👩🏽‍⚖️Judging A Book by Its Cover📚
skool.com/the-art-of-marriage-9238
Hey wifey! Master the art of love and connection. Marriage is a complex & dynamic game BUT there are cheat codes—get ready to hack your hubby! 🎮
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