Do marry-but for all the right reasons.
Does saying “I do” bring happiness?
Apparently that theory is a hard sell to those under 35 in England.
In an annual British Social Attitudes survey of 4,000 people, not even 40 per cent of adults between the ages of 18 and 34 believe marriage to be the best kind of relationship to have.
Their grandparents are much more romantic: more than 80 per cent of Britons over the age of 70 equate happiness with marriage.
Why so down on wedded bliss?
Besides the long-held perception (at least, since the swinging 1970s) that marriage is the death of individual freedom, the unhappy ending to the storybook marriage of Princess Diana and her supposedly charmed prince – Charles, of Wales – has something to do with it.
Then again, maybe their own parents’ marital trials and tribulations have convinced them that singledom, or just shacking up with a significant other, means never having to say you’re sorry you made it legal.
So, how do you ensure that marriage and misery don’t go hand-in-hand? Here are five important precursors for sharing a lifetime of love:
1. Trust. If you can’t trust your partner, you will never feel secure in the relationship, with or without a band of gold on your finger.
2. Commitment. Only if both are you are committed to the time, effort and emotions it takes to entwine your lives will you have the fortitude to live happily ever after.
3. Respect. For whatever reason, if you don’t have respect for your partner, or your partner doesn’t feel you deserve love, eventually resentment will tear you apart.
4. Communication. By learning to read each others’ subliminal signals, and to listen to the unspoken emotions between words, you’ll best hear and and understand each others’ fears, concerns, goals and desires.
Passion. Sexual desire keeps you connected, even during tough financial times. It’s not easy feeling poor, but it’s certainly a lot easier scrimping and saving with someone you love.
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Other MVL Marriage & Commitment Articles
Michelle and Barack Obama: A New First Couple for America
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Tick tock...tick tock...
MVL’s Valentine’s Day Countdown Tip #22:
Just Say “Happy Valentine’s Day”
Whether you have planned a simple meal at home or an ongoing extravaganza of events, start February 14th by saying: “I love you honey. Happy Valentine’s Day.”
Then, anything else that happens is just icing on the (yum) cupcake.
[...] In an age where cynics are celebrated and optimists are pushed to the back of the line, it’s easy to forget that there are millions of couples in America–and around the world–who are this year celebrating there 25th, 35th, 50th, and even 60th wedding anniversaries. [...]