While browsing through my news feed on Facebook the other day, I came across a post that struck me. A long time friend of mine and another girl had just applied to be on the show The Amazing Race. I was vaguely familiar with the show. My roommates and I spent a few evenings freshman year of college watching episodes when we could, amidst the busyness of school and basketball. For those who are unfamiliar, The Amazing Race is a reality game show in which teams of two or four race around the world against other teams, with the first-place team winning $1,000,000.
As soon as I read Jessica’s status, I immediately thought, “Joe and I should apply for the show!” I admit, it was far-fetched…but after seeing some of the crazy 2-person teams that have made it on the show in the past, I knew that it was worth a try. And even if we didn’t make the cast for the upcoming season, at least we’d have a hoot making the homemade entry video.
So, Joe and I got started. We had exactly 3 hours until the application closed at midnight. This was a very, VERY last minute endeavor. After the brief application was filled out, and the crazy skydiving and climbing pictures were uploaded, it was time to make the 3 minute video about ourselves. We focused on the more unusual aspects of our lives that we thought would make us interesting enough for TV.
Being a part of The Amazing Race would definitely be a challenge for us as a couple. The entire race is high-stress. Teams must always be on their feet and their minds must be sharp if they are to be the first to cross the finish line. Joe and I would grow a lot from an experience like this. We would be forced to work together as a team, even when we don’t want to or feel like we can’t. We would need to use our unique strengths to help us along the way, in every aspect of the race.
Every day, Joe and I are learning to be a better team than we were the day before, both as we grow in our marriage and as we travel the world. We are continually learning to communicate with each other, laugh with each other, fight with each other, dream with each other, and work alongside each other. Marriage, in itself, is an adventure of a lifetime. I recently told a friend that since being married, I have grown and stretched more than I ever thought possible. Amidst the challenges, pain, and growth, Joe’s and my marriage is blossoming into something beautiful, something worth fighting for.
