Stories to fill your life with love, joy and gratitude Jack Canfield Mark Victor
Hansen Mark & Chrissy Donnelly Barbara De Angelis
Introduction
Love is the most powerful, magical force in the universe, and there is nowhere it displays
its beauty and wonder more than in the intimate relationship between two people. We
wrote Chicken Soup for the Couple’s Soul hoping to capture that mystery and wonder in
words, words that will deeply touch and open your heart if you have ever been in love, or
hope to be in love. This is a book for husbands and wives and lovers and anyone who
dreams of finding their soul’s true mate.
Some loves between two people endure a lifetime. Others are destined to only last for a
while; then, the two lovers are separated, either by choice or by fate. But one thing is true:
No matter what the outcome of a relationship, when love enters our lives, it never leaves
without transforming us at the very depth of our being. Each story in this book was
written by someone who has been transformed by love. We were transformed when we
read these stories, and our wish is that you will be, too. Perhaps some of the stories will
help you renew the bond of trust and intimacy in your relationship, or better understand
your partner; perhaps others will help you appreciate all of the ways love has enabled you
to grow into a better human being; and still other stories will remind and reassure you
that although love challenges and blesses each of us in unique ways, you are never alone
in what you go through. What defines our intimate relationships? What signs should we
look for to discover how love is revealing itself? The stories you will read answer these
questions with insight and eloquence: Sometimes love reveals itself in the unmatched
level of understanding and friendship we share with our mate and no one else. Sometimes
it is in what is said, and sometimes, what is not said but deeply felt. Sometimes it is in the
obstacles we must face together. Sometimes it is in how the joy we feel with our partner
spills over to our children and family members. And sometimes it is in where the
relationship takes us inside ourselves—places we would never go willingly; but for love,
we will do anything.
Intimate relationships are also powerful teachers, as these stories illustrate so beautifully.
They teach us to be compassionate, caring and forgiving. They teach us when to hold on
more tightly, and when to let go. They give us the opportunity to develop great virtues
such as courage, patience, loyalty and trust. When we allow them to, our relationships
will show us all the ways we need to grow as a person. In this way, love will never enter
our lives without changing us for the better.
There are moments when love can be experienced as quite ordinary, expressed in a
simple smile of acceptance from your beloved. And in other moments, love seems utterly
sublime, inviting you into new worlds of passion and oneness you’ve never known before.
Like love itself, the stories in this book reflect every season and mood, and every color of
emotion: sweet beginnings; challenging and deepening intimacy; moments of grief when
we are forced to say good-bye to our soul mate; moments of astonishment when we
rediscover a love we thought we’d lost.
Some stories will make you laugh. Some will make you cry. But above all, the stories in
Chicken Soup for the Couple’s Soul pay tribute to love’s ability to endure, beyond years,
beyond difficulty, beyond distance, beyond even death.
There is no miracle greater than love. It is God’s most precious gift to us. We offer this
book as our gift to you. May it open your heart, uplift your mind, inspire your spirit, and
be a sweet companion on your own heart’s journey. And may your life always be blessed
with love.
Share with Us
We would love to hear your reactions to the stories in this book. Please let us know what
your favorite stories were and how they affected you.
We also invite you to send us stories you would like to see published in future editions of
Chicken Soup for the Couple’s Soul. You can send us either stories you have written or
stories written by others that you have liked.
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