Today a couple of friends made some interesting comments about their parents’ marriages and relationships. One woman said, ’my parents made marriage look so easy.’ It was not just her that thought so but many of her friends. As a result people always wanted to be at their house, because they saw a happy couple and a happy family.
She went on to say that her parents were always laughing, sharing a joke together, they were patient with each other and with the children, and they had similar interests as both of them were really keen on sport. They enjoyed spending time together and they were both family oriented. Weekends meant family picnics, games and outings. They were not overly well off as, as was the custom of the time, her mother did not work outside the home.
The other friend made the suggestions that not too many marriages today could be seen that way as making marriage look easy. Is it because we have got so much busier, because we do not value our spouse or our family as much as this couple obviously did, because we have become so self focused or work focused rather than paying attention to tour marriage?
It made me stop and think and wonder about what sort of picture of marriage Mick and I present to people we know. What sort of picture of marriage do you and your spouse present to your children and to your children’s friends? Is it one where marriage looks easy? Or do they see one filled with disagreements and hassles and one that makes marriage look like a lot of hard work? Maybe they see a marriage where instead of enjoying spending time together, the couple are each going about their lives and interests independently? It’s worth thinking about what sort of marriage ours is.
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