An adventure that began two years ago in Pets, then expanded to Marriage a little over a year ago when I first introduced myself here, has reached journey’s end. Today I’m writing to say farewell.
Dale should be rejoining you all very shortly. She’s already back to posting in Christian so I imagine it won’t be long before she makes a reappearance here.
You’re also going to get a new face to Marriage, but definitely not to Families.com. Mary Ann Romans is one of Families most prolific bloggers. She’s written in different categories over the years and is currently covering Education, Baby, Home, and Frugal. She’s going to drop Education to take on Marriage, though. I am confident she’ll both entertain and inform you with her stellar brand of writing.
As for me, I’d just like to say thank you. I didn’t know what to expect when I started. I knew I had big shoes to fill in replacing the likes of Heather Long and Sherry Holetzsky. I was a bit nervous about that, but you all graciously welcomed and accepted me.
You also taught me a lot. I had resolved to make the best of Marriage in ’08. My mission was two-fold: to accentuate the positive and learn what kind of tools are needed for marriage.
Before I knew it, you all were sharing anecdotes openly in comments, or, like Jade, forwarding along story ideas, or like Zondervan did, sending me relationship books and asking me to participate in a book blog tour.
Here’s what I ended up learning this year: I used to think trust was the most important tool you’d need for marriage. It’s a biggie, but I now believe empathy, understanding, and patience are far more necessary accessories for any marriage tool belt. Followed by humor. Trust is on the list, of course, but a bit farther down than it used to be in priority.
I also believe you’ll never have a long lasting marriage without humility and selflessness. As my ex-fellow co-blogger Lyn Newton once sagely noted, there’s no room for selfishness in a relationship. There really isn’t, but it runs rampant these days and that’s why divorces are common.
Which leads me to reveal my top tool pick for marriage: respect. That’s the foundation upon which all relationships must stand or else they’ll crumble.
It’s an opinion I’ve developed after studying stories like the siblings who all managed to celebrate 50 year wedding anniversaries. In order to go the distance (meaning the “till death do you part” route) you have to respect the person you’re making that journey with. If it’s not there, the love certainly won’t be either.
I’ve also learned that no matter how you choose to love the one you’re with, never take them or your love for granted. Cherish each married moment, because you don’t want to regret not having said I love you more when you had the chance.
Okay, I’ll step off my soap box. It’s time to make my exit.
Again, thanks so much for a wonderful experience. It’s been my pleasure.
Courtney Mroch writes about animals great and small in Pets and the harmony and strife that encompasses married life in Marriage. For a full listing of her articles click here.
A Few of My Favorite Blogs
Families.com Marriage Makes a Top 100 List
What Love Is: Learning Long Marriage Secrets from Families.com Members
Rule Number 1: No Such Thing as a Perfect Marriage
Rule Number 2: You Get What You Give
Rule Number 3: Change is a Catch-22
Rule Number 4: One Size Doesn’t Fit All
Love Lessons Learned on an Alaskan Vacation