Do you consider your husband or wife your friend? Friendship in marriage is one of the keys to insuring that your relationship is a happy, enduring one. There are some things you can do to make sure the two of you stay friends (and some things to avoid).
Be Courteous
We offer common courtesy to complete strangers, like a waiter at a restaurant. We should be at least as courteous to the people we love, but somehow, our manners seem to slip away after we live together for a while. If this is true of your relationship, start making a conscience effort to say please and thank you to your spouse. Greet your spouse whenever he or she returns from someplace else. Say good morning and good night. Doing so will help your spouse feel more appreciated, and he or she will likely begin to reciprocate.
Be Considerate
If you know your husband or wife does not like loud music, wait until he or she isn’t home to jam. If your wife keeps mentioning those socks on the floor, stop throwing them there and hit the hamper. If your husband can’t find room to set down his deodorant on the bathroom counter because your beauty products are scattered around, try to do a better job of keeping your stuff on your side of the counter. Pay attention when your spouse voices an annoyance and try to be more considerate.
Don’t Call Names
No matter how angry or upset you are, do not call each other names. If this has been a habit in the past, sit down and discuss it. Agree to never call each other names, even when having a heated disagreement. Nasty names are hurtful and you cannot take them back. The same is true for other hateful words and statements. Do not lash out and try to hurt your spouse out of anger, because if you try to hurt him or her, you will. The other person may get over it after time, but he or she will not soon forget. You do not want the person you love to believe that you really think those ugly things about him or her.
Think about how you act toward those you call friends, and begin to treat your spouse as you would treat them.