Thirty Six Years of Friendship in Marriage

My wife and I have shared thirty six years of life together. Though we are very different we are still the best of friends. It is so important that we learn to be other-centered in our approach to marriage. If walked out wisely marriage helps us to develop healthy relationships in other areas of life 

The first thing to remember is that people are different, really different from ourselves. This might seem obvious; but actually we often assume that most people see things the way we see them. This is a common misunderstanding in marriage. The person we marry is going to have a radically different perspective on some things. At first this can be frustrating and annoying. This is where the test comes in. Stop and tell yourself that this person is a gift to help you see the whole picture. Remember the old saying that two heads are better than one. Train yourself to listen. This is one of the most important skills in Marriage…being a good listener. Many of us are not good listeners and this creates untold problems and pain in a marriage relationship. Remember that as someone has said…you can do by training what you can’t do by trying! Take a deep breath and remind yourself that a successful marriage depends on your ability to listen. It’s essential that the other person truly feels that they are being heard. This communicates that they are important and have value in your eyes. It might sound trite but nonetheless loving is listening…I guarantee it…mark my thirty six years of not a perfect but a wonderful marriage. My wife and I are friends for life!