By Gail Marsh
Love is in the air. At least that’s how I felt after reading the results of a recent RVtravel.com poll along with the wonderful comments. Ah, the joy of love! Our poll asked, “Did you marry your high school sweetheart?” The results were both surprising and heartwarming.
More than 2,000 RVers participated in the poll, and 61% of responders said they did not marry their high school sweetheart. However (here’s the interesting part), nearly a third of those polled answered, “Yes, and we are still together.” Wow! You must read the heartwarming comments for yourself.
The poll prompted a question: Can RVing help keep couples together? As you might imagine, there is no scientific research exclusively devoted to RVers and a marriage’s longevity. So, I’ll just put some of my thoughts out there in defense of the idea. Here are my reasons why I believe that RVing just might help folks stay together.
Shared goals
When you RV with your spouse (or perhaps your high school sweetheart spouse!), you work together toward shared goals. These shared goals can help you feel more connected to each other and more fulfilled in your relationship.
Common experiences
RVing is a unique and exciting experience. We explore new places, try new things, and create lasting memories together. The RV experience helps strengthen the bond between us. Even negative circumstances can provide memories that draw us closer as a couple. My husband and I look back and can laugh about most of our past RVing mishaps—because we endured them together!
Communication
RVing requires communication and cooperation. Together we navigate unfamiliar roads, set up and take down countless RV campsites, and make decisions about where to go and what to do. RVing has strengthened the communication between us. RVing helps us work together as a team.
Simple life
Living in an RV (even occasionally) means simplifying our life together. Camping helps us focus on what’s really important in life—our relationship with one another. When we RV, we seem to have more time and energy to devote to our relationship and that helps our marriage thrive.
Disclaimer
Of course, every couple is different. There is no iron-clad guarantee that RVing will ensure a long and happy marriage. However, I believe that the RVing experience does offer opportunities that can strengthen your relationship with your spouse, whether you married as high school sweethearts or not!
Do you think RVing can help keep couples together? Tell us why in the comments below.
##RVT1101
I married the younger sister of my best friend in high school. We are celebrating 51 years together…and our 49th wedding anniversary this year. When we are not enjoying our 3 children and 5 grandkiddos (1 more on the way soon!)…we share the love of RV’ng in our 5th wheel toy hauler, riding 2 up on my Harley Road Glide Ultra touring bike…visiting everything from National parks to small rural towns where we can hit off-the-beaten-path antique shops and hidden gem restaurants. We are truly blessed…life is good.
Happy travels!
Fortunately, my wife and I went to high school in two different states or else we would never have even dated due to different social groups (cliques). Let’s just say we ran in “different circles.” When we met after high school where she worked in HR and I had a co-op scholarship (General Motors) and I “chased her for two years before she caught me!”. We were married at ages of 19 (her) and 20 (me). Fifty-six years later we are still very much in love and have been camping and RV’ing for over 50 years. We depend heavily on each other’s skillsets and the joys and adversities just seem to bond us rather than separate us.
RVing keep us together? I don’t think so. It started with infatuation, then “love”, whatever that is, and thru all of it respect for each other. Now we are one entity. Without her grocery shopping and cooking I would not be alive. Without me the garbage would not be taken out. And I guess my pension is what allows her to buy the groceries. We are our own circle of life. (After unwrapping the groceries the trash can is full again – my job never ends.)
😅 You’re so funny, Kelly (in addition to being philosophical, as evidenced in other comments). Now take out the trash, and keep that happy circle going. 😀 –Diane
Yep. Supper tonite will create the need for more grocery shopping on Monday which will create more trash. Oh shoot, thanks for the reminder, tomorrow is trash pick up day, I do need to set it out tonite. It’s the simple things in retirement that keep you going.
And the circle just keeps on turning… hopefully for a long time.🤞😄 –Diane
And here one year later, the circle of life still goes on. Ain’t that great?
Yes, it is, Kelly. Especially considering the bumpy year you’ve had. Just don’t forget to take out the trash, and your wife will continue to cook for you.😉👍 Have a good night.🤗 –Diane
Just this month, 64 yrs since met and 55 yrs married. Taking out the garbage every day pays off.
The secret to a happy marriage, eh, Kelly? Take out the garbage every day? What a wonderful husband you are.😊 (I’m pretty sure in a gazillion more ways than that, however.👍) Take care. 😀 –Diane
Not just in the trash can, but in the marriage. Take out the garbage every day and continually pull the weeds out of the garden. It does not make sense to let garbage pile up or weeds take over the flowers. Some evidently consider it work, but it is really pretty simple.
Words of wisdom. Thanks, Kelly. Have a great day. 😀 –Diane
I think that a couple can stay together and enjoy RVing only if both want the same experience. My father wanted to be a full time (mostly) RV traveler, but he gave it up for love of my mother who was really a home body. They had one long trip that took the a couple of months West to East, but after that it was west coast travel for two to three weeks.
Thank you, Gail! I had no high school sweetheart, or I might have married her. 😉 😎
It hit me hard today reading the article “did you marry your high school sweetheart “. Today would have been our 58th anniversary. Sadly, I lost my love in September. We couldn’t wait to retire and travel in our RV. We had such fun lovable times.
I am so sorry for your loss.
Cherish those loving memories.
Cindy: Life doesn’t seem to be fair at times…. we spend our lives together, with the ultimate dream of retiring to new adventures, especially with an Rv – then the unthinkable and very difficult to handle or understand happens. Stay strong and take care of yourself and relish the memories of the wonderful times and years together. My wife is lingering and failing daily from COPD. We may celebrate our 58th on 6 August. Take care…..
Gail.
Your observations are spot on. We just celebrated our 53rd wedding anniversary and have been tent, pop-up, travel trailer (lots of em), class C, gasser class A’s, and now DP class A camping about 52 of those years. Also sail boating up to 2022 about 45 of those years. And yes, High School Sweethearts.
I married my high school sweetheart. It was 45 years after we met at age15 that we started RV’ing. It’s been a great decade on the road with our Class B since then!
Heading for our 54th anniversary, and have been RVing all those years from tents to Class A Winnebago. The last 20 years in Class B Sportsmobiles. There is something special about the love it takes to spend up to 90 days at a time in a Class B!
Married in 1975, together since 1972. 49 years coming in October. Wouldn’t trade her for anything. Been RVing 3 1/2 years, it’s been a challenge, but work through it.
“Does Rving keep couples together?”: It helps if there are shared interests in that pursuit – well, helps until it is time to back in a large motor home or trailer between trees and stumps etc.. That is the test of marital durability!!! HA!
I answered no in the poll because I married, not my high school, but my college sweetheart. And we are still married after 56 years , , , , despite being RVers!
I married my elementary school sweetheart. Started “dating” at age 10. I was raised RVing but I could never talk him into camping. Maybe this is why we divorced after 5 years!! Lol!!! Married to wonderful man for 33 years and full time RVers for 8 years
My wife and I met in junior high school and went steady until we were 20 and 21 then got married. Spent honeymoon tenting at Mount Rushmore when there was just a drive off to view the presidents. we’ve camped for many years while we traveled cross country on our motorcycles. Finally, we started RVing and now after 63 years of marriage, we plan to travel a whole lot more. Why, we’re only halfway through our life and anxious to find out what we’ll do for the other half of our life.
Thank you, Gail! 🙂 Aside from parking the rig? Yes, the rest is certainly conducive to augmenting the bonds of marriage. It is just that parking deal that isn’t clearly or always beneficial. 😉 Thanks again, have a great week, and SAFE travels! 🙂