The news was very depressing last week. Al Gore and Tipper are getting divorced. After 40 years of marriage. I'm not going to speculate on why someone would choose to split after weathering diapers and teenagers and public life (which is brutal, no matter your political affiliation), and bills and shared worries but it gave me a little brain cloud. Neither one, as far as anyone knows, went...ahem...hiking along the Appalachian Trail, if you know what I mean. Anyway, I'm a big fan of marriage and am a little bummed those crazy kids didn't make it.
In The Doubtful Marriage, Rauwerd maps out his recipe for a successful married life:
We will make an exception of love; that is a bonus in a happy marriage. Liking, respect, a shared interest in similar things, a similar background, an ability to laugh together and at each other, loyalty--they all add up to a happy marriage, even without your romantic ideas about falling in love...to fall in love and to love at the same time is, for those fortunate enough to do it, the crown of life.
My question is: What makes for a happy marriage? To what extent do you agree or would amend and revise this statement?
Kev and I just finish a marriage class through our ward and what it all came down to is work. It you stop working at being in love, working at pleasing your spouse occasionally, working at marriage than you probably won't make it.
ReplyDeleteA shared sense of humor. You don't have to have the same sense of humor - but a healthy overlap is a good thing.
ReplyDeleteSpontaneity is a good thing...in moderation.
Patience is a great thing...in large amounts.
Forgetfulness is a highly underrated virtue.
Cooperation.
ReplyDeleteWe go with the 3 F's. Forgiveness, forgetfulness and funny. Splitting the dinner making and clean up helps too. We are very opposite on a lot of things but the important ones we are right there together.
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