A book has recently been published called ‘The Break’ (author: Marian Keyes). It’s “about a man who asks his wife for six months off “for good behaviour” to do all the things he missed out on by being married.” (http://www.theaustralian.com.au/life/weekend-australian-magazine/marian-keyes-is-a-midlife-marriage-sabbatical-really-a-good-idea/news-story/ddd56d53b109ae3e41d5e3953dbab930) All responsibilities and commitments to the marriage being suspended for the length of the break. It’s sparked conversations about who would agree to such a thing and what the implications are. But most importantly how would each of us react in this situation. Even the author of the movie’s story, when asked, said she didn’t know how she would react and what she would be prepared to agree to.
I know how I would feel. Either you’re in this relationship or you’re out.
You cannot suspend a relationship and expect it to stand still whilst you’re away from it. A relationship isn’t like a parked car. A relationship is a complex series of interconnected behaviours that take time and commitment to build and delineate. What’s more a relationship isn’t static. You can’t build a relationship and expect it to stay frozen in time.
Below: Ross and Rachel (of the TV series ‘Friends’) and their ongoing argument over the consequences of their ill defined relationship break (https://me.me/t/we-were-on-a-break?since=1448373424%2C9020939)
If you take a break from the relationship – whatever you tell each other or agree – that relationship has been, effectively, broken and will need rebuilding if it is resumed. (The only kind of exception I can think of would be if you behave as if you are still in the relationship whilst on the break. So why bother to take a break, unless it’s just a break from each other’s constant company that is arranged.)
Finally I feel sure that unless you agree what a break means to you both (what behaviours are okay, how available you will be to each other and when the break will be over etc) you’re potentially in for a world of trouble after the break, if not an acknowledgement that this is really a break up!
Below: It’s not uncommon for a couple to break up, remember why they were attracted to each other, get back together then, quite quickly, remember why they separated
Alison
Have You Seen What I've Seen 
Thanks Jen. I tend to believe that it takes more than love to make a relationship work. But some of us aren’t good at analysing what we feel, what’s really important to us and what we need to do to keep the things we value.
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I can’t imagine why anyone would want to take a break like that from someone they love!
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