Dear Dorothy,
I am having some issues with my husband with respect to our marriage. I believe we can work through these issues if we communicate honestly with each other.
I have my ideas of what I think should be the components of a good and emotionally satisfying marital relationship. However, I would appreciate your thoughts on what constitutes a loving marriage that is joyous for both parties.
Thank you.
My dear,
When it comes to marriage, as in all relationships that are close between the sexes, it really is “different strokes for different folks”. So what may constitute a good marriage for one person may not be the same for another.
But, in my personal opinion a good marriage is built on:
- Respect for one another
- Care for each other
- Mutually attraction to each other
- Shared goals and values
- Affection for each other
- Patience with one another
- Paying attention to each other
- A willingness to support each other in good times and in bad
- A willingness to work to keep the relationship alive
- Patience with one another
- A willingness to compromise
- Communicating with honest, with both parties speaking their minds and airing their opinions and each paying attention to what each one is saying
- Understanding one another
Take these things out of a relationship, and you have persons sharing a house and not living together as a married couple.