This article appears as part of Casey Weade's Weekend Reading for Retirees series. Every Friday, Casey highlights four hand-picked articles on trending retirement topics and delivers them straight to your email inbox. Get on the list here.

While retirement is a season of life filled with more time together, that extra time can sometimes lead to unexpected tension.

Take Jack and Margaret, for example. After 40 years of marriage, Margaret felt unseen when Jack kept jumping in to “fix” her problems instead of simply hearing her out. When she finally expressed how she felt, Jack had a lightbulb moment. His solutions weren’t always what she needed. Instead of immediately problem-solving, he learned to ask, “Am I listening, or am I solving?” This simple shift transformed their relationship, bringing them closer together.

Key Takeaways: This Valentine’s Day, let Jack and Margaret’s story be your reminder that the best gift you can give your partner isn’t a grand gesture—it’s being present.