Is Marriage Hard Work?
My wife asked me a question the other day (then promptly answered it herself). She asked, “do you think marriage is hard work?” To which she replied, “I don’t think it is. It isn’t for us.” Now that’s not to say that our marriage is all rainbows and butterflies. We have had our fair share of arguments. I understood what she was getting at and wanted to explore the concept further.
Perhaps this is in the same vein as the ‘if you do what you love, you never work a day in your life’ philosophy. We have had a strong relationship since we were engaged years ago, and after 12 years of marriage, I thought I would explore the things that make our relationship strong (and make it feel like it’s not hard work). Might as well look at the weaknesses too.
Strengths
Communication
In every relationship, be it romantic, friendship, professional, etc., communication is by the far the most critical factor. Much has been written on the subject, yet human beings still struggle to connect with one another. In our modern world, we have myriad ways to communicate, yet still feel disconnected. When that happens within marriage, it often leads down a dark path.
The key to communication is clarity. Truly understanding the message being conveyed through words, tone, and body language is the heart of achieving clarity…
