What Makes a Marriage Work?

People get married for several different reasons. Some get married to start a family; some get married out of lust, while others just feel they are completely compatible with the other person. What ever the reason may be, even if their reasons are the same, the expectations will be different. My parents got married because they were in love. They were married for 3 years before they had their first child. They spent those 3 years enjoying each other and building a foundation, which would be strong enough to hold the pressure of children. They went into the marriage knowing it would take hard-work and lots of patience.

Parker (2000) states that, the success of a marriage will depend on the minds of the couple going into the marriage. If the couple goes into the marriage realizing that conflicts will arise and that they can be solved, then the couple will be okay. The characteristics of each person can determine if they have what it takes to make the marriage stand the test of time. The couple should expect social, family, emotional, and in some case financial trouble. If they understand that these things may occur, they can be more prepared for them. Neither on of my parents grew up with money, so they knew finances would be an issue. My parents worked through it, they were able to save and prepare themselves.

Furthermore, my parents have the structure of a great, successful marriage. They have friendship and strong communication skills. My parents have put in years of labor to get to the point they are now. They anticipated being together until death and that is still the plan. The love they have for each other is strong and that comes naturally, but everything else they have to work at. The divorce rate could decrease if couple’s stop being so darn lazy!