Simply Love – five minutes a day to care for your marriage

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When people talk about formation and growth in marriage, suggesting that couples read a book together can seem almost unrealistic. The answers are usually the same: “Between kids, work, the house, and everything else – who has time to read?” And if you suggest reading it together, the objection comes even faster: “Our schedules are different.”

Many couples – especially those with young children – feel swept up in a frantic routine, waiting for vacation just to catch their breath. Unfortunately, the relationship between husband and wife is often the first thing to be neglected. When that happens, everything else becomes heavier and harder to manage.

A book that leaves no room for excuses

If this situation sounds familiar, the book we want to suggest today was written precisely with couples like you in mind. And if you are already thinking that you do not have time, you may change your mind: Simply Love by Kathleen Billingsand and Troy Billings is a book about marriage that requires only two to five minutes a day. Are you still sure you can’t find that much time?

A maintenance manual for marriage

Published in 2021 by Our Sunday Visitor, an American Catholic weekly publication, the book offers daily reflections on married life rooted in Catholic spirituality and the sacrament of marriage.

Its structure is simple: 365 pages – one for each day of the year – and you can begin with “Day 1” whenever you like. Each page opens with a quotation from a saint or a wise person, followed by a short reflection and practical suggestions to keep marriage from quietly slipping through your fingers.

The goal is simple: stay attentive, care for the relationship, and continue growing in love.

Why it works

The book helps shift our focus from the individual “I” to the shared “we” – from personal self-interest to the man or woman we welcomed as a gift on our wedding day. Love is never something we simply coast on. In marriage, we are either growing or moving backward. One of the book’s strengths lies in reminding us that married life must be renewed through intentional choices – small daily gestures that keep affection alive. Over time, passion and the natural impulse to give ourselves to the other person can grow dull. Love requires will and commitment. Love is not something that simply happens to us. It is something we choose and put into practice. In the end, we are all responsible for the health of our own marriages.

The authors: a real example

Troy and Kathleen don’t offer magical fixes to problems. Instead, they share their own experience – the setbacks and recoveries, the mistakes and lessons learned along the way. Their true “manual” is the Gospel, and their teacher is Jesus. But alongside Him stand many couples who have inspired them. Throughout the book they recount the unique and personal stories of these marriages, offering real-life examples that enrich their reflections.

That is why Simply Love feels authentic. It is based on real experiences rather than theories. As you read, you feel accompanied rather than judged. The voices speaking are not professors lecturing you but fellow travelers sharing the same journey.

The central idea: we are a team

In the introduction, Kathleen writes: “From the very first day, Troy described us as a team. If a team wants to win, every player has to work together toward a goal. In marriage, our ultimate goal is to help one another reach Heaven. At the same time, most couples would probably agree that a fulfilling and happy marriage can already feel like a victory – a foretaste of Heaven! (…) Teammates are responsible for one another. (…) On a team, if one player is struggling, other steps in to help. The same is true in marriage. We should ask ourselves: when one of us is down, does the other respond with love and emotional closeness? Do we help each other get back on our feet – or do we pretend not to notice?”

Five minutes that make a difference

If this description of the book has sparked your interest – if you want to grow in love and become more truly a team – then it may be time to stop making excuses. Don’t wait for a “calmer day” that may never come before taking care of your marriage. Start today with a simple but powerful gesture: dedicate five minutes a day to taking care of your relationship.

Take a moment to read a single page that can help you renew the way you look at your spouse. Love is not self-sustaining– it needs you. You don’t have to completely shake up your daily routine. All it takes is a small space in your day that becomes your shared “meeting” as husband and wife who choose, quite simply, to love.