In honor of Mike’s birthday this week, today’s Post is by guest author, Molly Peterson.
I like to tell my friends that there’s nothing like going out and shooting your husband to support a healthy marriage. Of course, the people I’m talking to know that I mean with a laser tag gun. (What did you think I meant?). Today I am going to try to unpack why it is that I say that, because it really is true for me. Being on the battlefield with Mike whether I’m playing on the same team or against him, I finish the day feeling happier with a stronger bond in our relationship.
It’s not unusual for my joke about shooting Mike to be interpreted as a need to get out my frustrations with him. However, I think this is actually the smallest aspect of why I like playing with him. Don’t get me wrong, I love getting the best of Mike on the battlefield, but it’s not what really helps our marriage grow through playing laser tag.
Perhaps it’s the heat of battle. It is well known that military folks have a kind of bond that is hard to find among other coworkers. Heck, soldiers would balk at the very term coworkers. They are family. They have worked together in an intense physical environment where they relied on their base instincts, physical training, and their buddies. These characteristics are similar on the sport battlefield. The greater you become immersed in the game, the more intensely these effects are felt. As someone who has the deepest respect for those who put their lives on the line for our country, I marvel that laser tag could inject a small fraction of that kind of bonding into my marriage. But I do think it makes some sense. There is a lot of adrenaline flowing as you become totally absorbed in the battle.
Perhaps it’s just getting to play. I mean, what did you do with your best friend when you were a kid? You played! And you played games that you both thought were AWESOME. You thought each other’s ideas were AWESOME. You built each other up just by how much fun you had. How often do you play with your spouse? You probably work pretty well together. You’re able to divide responsibilities and keep a household running smoothly. While that can be rewarding, it doesn’t make you feel like your spouse is AWESOME. Having fun with someone creates a lot of positive atmosphere. Those positive memories hang around. You tend to like people more if you have had fun with them. I love my memories of having fun playing laser tag with Mike and our friends. The friends who play laser tag with me are definitely the most AWESOME.
And that is why you should absolutely seize the opportunity to play laser tag with your spouse and also with your kids.