Do you want to know how to keep your marriage on track? Recent blogs have looked at the ups and downs in marriage. While Mary Ann’s been focusing on the things that can disrupt and harm a marriage and how to deal with them, I’ve mostly focused on the positive side of trying to build a marriage up. Together they give a good picture of what is involved in keeping a marriage on track.
My calendar the other day says ‘little kindnesses, little acts of considerateness (I would have said consideration, but you get the drift), little appreciations, little confidences…they are all that are needed to keep the friendships sweet,’ Hugh Black. We could adapt it to read ‘all that are needed to keep a marriage sweet.’
Marriage should be a relationship where each one is considering the needs of the other and how they can please and encourage them.
It may often not seem like such a big deal to the person at the time but it is often the little things we remember. I was listening to the song ‘Honey’ by Bobby Goldsboro recently, where he recounts all little thing that stick in his memory about his wife who has died. These included things like when he gave her a puppy for Christmas Eve and it kept them awake or she ‘wrecked the car’ and she was wondering how he would react. Instead of being angry he was thankful she was okay. The car was only a material thing that could be replaced. She couldn’t.
Years ago I had a similar experience when I had a car accident caused by another person not watching but worrying about their mobile phone, so she slammed into me. Mick’s first question when I rang him afterwards, was not, ‘Is the car okay?’ Or ‘how much damage was done?’ but, ‘Are you all right?’
I also remember him saying or doing thoughtful little things that he’s forgotten about, like bringing me in a special flower or passion fruit from the garden. Because like the song says, it’s always those little things that mean a lot. So, along with the compliments this week, try doing some little act of kindness or consideration each day to show your spouse how much you care.
Please visit these related blogs
Why I’m Happy to Submit to My Husband – part 2.
Overcoming a Crisis in Marriage