I was an idiot. A relationship is not about performance.

Honestly, I do not know where to begin. When you have lived with someone for 25 years, you have so many memories and reasons to be grateful. Selfishly, I will start with myself.

I fell in love with the right person without even realising it

I have been incredibly lucky with the people I have met in life. Without even realising it, I fell in love with a woman who has quietly and patiently supported me throughout my entire life so far. Some people have an extraordinary gift for being that quiet force – one that helps, steps in when needed, and then steps back. To have that kind of sensitivity is truly rare. Sometimes you do not need to talk about things, situations or opinions – you simply share them with each other and act accordingly. That is our relationship.

The freedom that keeps me grounded

My wife has allowed me to be happy. What does that mean? She knows I am content when I am working on my activities and projects, and she gives me the freedom to do so. And because of that, I return home with even greater joy to be with her and our family. My life is one big swing – not in the sense of ups and downs, but in the sense of diving into one project and then into another. These periods have grown longer over time, but they are always intense. That is why I am incredibly grateful for her understanding and support.

I was an idiot – and thankfully I grew out of it

I know I am not easy to live with. Especially when you are constantly driven by performance – and there was a time when, through my own foolishness, I thought that a relationship was also about performance and constant improvement. Yes, I was an idiot. But thankfully I grew out of it, and our relationship survived – thanks to my wife.

Journeyers and achievers: what brings us together

One interesting trait brings us closer together. There are many more, of course, but that would fill a book, not a blog post. I divide people into journeyers and achievers. Journeyers love the doing and the journey itself – they are often afraid of what will happen when something is finished, which is why they frequently never complete things. Then there are achievers, who want things done and finished. We are both achievers. We once talked about how we could not stand living next to a journeyer – always seeing unfinished work everywhere. Work connects us. We simply enjoy it. I do not really have weekends, because I work when I can and rest when I need to.

Humility that cannot be learned

What I want to highlight is the extraordinary humility of my wife – something that is truly valuable in life. It is a gift that cannot be taught. It is enough that we men stress ourselves out by taking on too much responsibility on our own shoulders – imagine if we had to deal with that at home too. You simply cannot run a business that way, sometimes you cannot even live properly. She keeps me grounded. Sometimes I feel she is perhaps too humble, but I understand it.

What truly matters in life

In closing, I want to say that not everything is sunshine – but when the fundamental and most important values are solid, shared and lived, then all other traits and quirks become trivial. You have to be clear about what matters in life – then you can make good decisions, and we men can stop being foolish. I wish all of you men clarity about those important values, sooner rather than later, so you do not get too tangled up in life.

And to you, Simča – thank you for everything.