Our second wedding anniversary is just around the corner; two years of wedded bliss. Hahaha! I wonder who the people are that can actually say that?!?!? I will say it has had more ups than downs but learning to live with someone (and a small, white, fluffy dog) can be difficult. Adjusting to being a married couple and the division of home responsibilities always presents a challenge (I've heard). Who will make the coffee, feed the dog, mow the grass, fold the socks, lock the doors at night and the ultimate who will be in charge of the toilet seat are all questions we've been faced with. How to solve them? I don't know; the best I can do is always try to put the other person's needs ahead of your own and remember why you got married in the first place (if the reason was that you love each other and really can't stand the idea of living one more day of your life with out that person).
I've occasionally asked women who have been married 50 years, or close to it, what they think is the secret to a happy marriage. My grandmother says "Never going to bed angry" has been the secret to her happy marriage. It definitely seems to make sense, but I have gone to bed angry or at the least upset and I don't think we are any worse for wear. Plus, my grandmother must remember hers is a marriage I have seen the inner workings of for 30+ years. She may think never going to bed angry is the secret to her happy marriage, but truly I'm not convinced. Other answers I have received have been: Separate bathrooms, separate bedrooms, separate vacations, separate hobbies. Sure does seem like a lot of separation, maybe time apart is the key! Or maybe it's just a good sense of humor. These ladies have all been laughing as they've passed on their secrets to the next generation. Oh to know what they know... I guess I will in about 48 more years.
