Tag: commandment

There is nothing more wonderful than a good solid relationship where you enjoy each other, enjoy spending time with each other, and share common interests. That does not, however, mean that you have to be together all of the time and do everything together.

In order to enjoy your time together and to maintain a good marriage, it’s important to allow yourself special time for you. This might be exercise time, reading time, watching a ball game or even enjoying the luxury of a massage. The point is, in order to be at your best in your partnership, you must feel good about yourself. That means that, occasionally, it’s okay to take care of you. You don’t want to feel resentful that you never have any time to yourself to rest or just pamper yourself with a hot bath or long shower, a good book or a crossword puzzle.

Marriage is for life. And life is a pretty long time to live with someone with whom you have no common interest. A couple is usually drawn together by attraction, physical or otherwise, and for the first few months or years that may be enough. Eventually, however, you'll need to embrace your common interests.

An article in my local paper recently talked about a couple who had been together for 70 years. Their mutual interest was dancing.

One of the primary reasons people get divorced, unlike what we see in the movies, is that they just grow apart. Husband or wife goes to work; the other person either goes to work or cares for the children. They live separate lives and one day look across the table and don’t even know each other any more. Other relationships have developed at work or the gym that appear even closer than the relationship with their own spouse. How did this happen? Where did the years go?

We all have busy lives. Whether the husband or wife works outside the home or one is at home caring for children or an elderly parent, every minute of every day can be committed to just "living."