How can you make your marriage work forever?
208128
I dont think there is a real explination for making a marriage work forever, unless you are an angel or something... Just love, and stay true to the other person and yourself.
186735
A relationship changes in many subtle ways after marriage, especially because you're with the person almost all the time instead of only a few hours.  It takes a great deal of commitment and understanding in order to make it work.  One of the first things to do is talk about who will manage which aspects of the daily routine, and go from there.
6412
For us, it has been work.  Lots and lots and lots of hard work.\n\nWhen we got married, I had an idea of what a wife should do, be like, etc. And, I expected her to be this person and our marriage to be a certain way.  So, after working at it for a year (and fighting constantly), I slowly realized that she is who she is and my expectations were wrong.  (She had to realize the same things about me.)  This is when we learned we have to work at communicating with each other and with ourselves. (You will have to learn who you truly are as well as who your mate truly is.)\n\nWe have been together almost 12 years now; she is my soul mate and we are very happy.  But, the communication and understanding that are needed are work.\n\nEvery few months, life will throw a new set of challenges at us and we will have to work at communicating well, understanding things 100% from the other persons point of view, not having emotional reactions to things without asking "Did you mean that way I heard it?" Then, once we have communicated and are in synch with each other, we can tackle the challenges of life together.  \n\nMarriage is not 50/50.  It is 100%/100%, and often you have to give your 100% first.  But, being able to become someones soul mate and their true love is an amazing blessing.  Just keep in mind that sometimes you have to give your 100% first and that is work.\n\nBeing truly in love when you get married is a great place to start growing your life long love together.    But, you have to work to grow life long love.  \n\nPlus, please remember to "actively love".  Don't just love someone and feel that is enough.  You have to pay attention to this person you are marrying, and learn what stresses them out, makes them happy, what they are great at, how best to be supportive,  and which of the family roles that mentally and emotionally hate but that you could do (I do the dishes, because she would rather be beat with a stick than wash another person's dishes.).  In other words, you have to learn who this person really is and how you can help make their life happier.  Ask yourself, "What can I DO, to make my mates life easier, happier, better, etc."  "Active love", which is paying attention to your mate and then doing things you can to improve their life, is also part of true love.\n\nForgive the long answer.  This is just the things we have learned in our 12 years together.  Every relationship is unique.  \n\nGood luck and best wishes to you both.
479579
It can happen. I married my husband right out of high school. We were married 23 years and started having problems. We divorced...... 2 years later, and we are back together. We just don't work apart. The 2 years that we were apart was hell on both of us. We've now worked through our differences and plan on growing old together. :)
278884
Marriages do not just happen they are like a motor vehicle they need maintenance. Its very easy to get into a rut or a boring routine. You need to put a sparkle back in your lives if you have kids get a child minder and book a naughty weekend somewhere in a nice hotel and health spa and pamper yourselves. Get a new outfit and dramatically change your hairstyle. I really hope it works out all the very best  Dirky
272622
We waited till marriage\n\nWe havee now been married for nearly 14 years and are very happy together.\n\nI think being able to wait did encourage us to put our relationship into areas that we could build our friendship on - and that i find to be the most important part of marriage is being able to like and respect one another and being able to relate to one another.\n\nSex - great - but if that is all the relationship is based on then it wont last very long.  Also if you hav waited and the first night isn't the best then you still have commitment from each other to work on it rather than on relying on it to pull you through.\n\nResisting temptations - if that is really difficult then don't have a long engagement - bring the date forward if need be.  The marriage is more important than having a 'big' day after all.  But meanwhile - resisting temptations - try not to take long periods of time alone indoors (chaperones?) - that is when temptation can strike most often.  also avoid heavy petting - and bear in mind if you haven't got one then PAWZOFF until you are married (and NO i am NOT referring to not touching his car or her microwave!)\n\nI hope that some of the above helps\n\nand God bless your upcoming marriage\n\nwhen is the happy date?
158712
Get married, works for most women
593773
any marriage can work if both partners are willing to work on it.\ngod didn't take race into consideration when he put man and woman on this earth color does NOT MATTER as long as you both love eack other
55730
B"H\nHmmm... try taking two weeks off from sex every month.  Show him that during that time you are STILL head over heels in love with him.\n\nThis is actually advice many marriage councelors give out to help people who've lost the spice get it back into their marriage.  While you may not have this trouble, this definately helps develop the intellectual and emotional aspects of a relationship as well.  \n\nLoads of ancient cultures practiced this (usually abstaining from physical relations during the woman's menstruation) and it has proven itself time and again to keep marriages in a prolonged "honeymoon phase".
210447
When my husband and I started out on our relationship over 17 years ago we did not have a lot of things. We rented an apartment and several houses along the way, have had several vehicles that turned out to not be very reliable, and even had to stay with my parents a few times. We are still together and stronger then ever.We now have a house of our own { for 3 years now} and a reliable truck to get him back and forth to work.  So do I think that a relationship can last? Yes, definitely. As long as you truly love one another and really want it to work then nothing can stand in your way. I hope that I have answered your question and good luck. By the way, I was only 16 when I got married and we have been married for 17 years and together for 2 years before that. We made it and so can you!
94376
Long distance relationships are very hard, but I know couples who are married and are still long distance. So nothing is impossible. It just depends on how much you love and Trust each other to be apart but still stay together. But warning: long distance relationships are Tough. You both need to sit down and talk about the possibilities and if you both decide to stay together, talk about how you'll both deal with it. Make sure you're both prepared for all the hardships to follow, such as missing each other, trust issues, traveling to see each other, etc... Goodluck on your decision!
109319
Lifetime partner? That's kinda flaky. . . come back and ask again when you can ask what the responsibilities of married couples are.
223327
Gosh, I don't know if it ever gets boring or not.  I'll have to wait to find out.  I've only been married for 33 years, and each time it is different, with the same woman no less.  Sure, we don't do it twice nightly anymore, but I still am in the tries nightly stage.  Marriage is not something that you back out of if things get difficult.  You have to work on it all of the time.  I find that going out on dates and seducing my partner the same way I did before we got married, is a hell of a lot of fun.
545297
screw american law.  You don't need a peice of paper from anyone to prove to you YOU are married and want a lifetime commiment from the person you love the most, just tell her she's your wife and hold a ceremony somewhere the both of you find attractive and and share your thoughts on the future and express your love for one another.  And don't forget to continue this thinking in every day for the rest of your life.  Cause thats what it is all about.
129264
Never let anyone tell you marriage is 50-50. If a person can't or won't give 100%...their all...they're going to have problems in that marriage. Takes 2 to make it work.
549196
God needs to be the center of a union of marriage. Once partners are in tuned with eachother and their relationship with God is secure, your spouse will tell you what he / she wants and you can follow the program.
193851
COMMITTMENT!\n\nThink about the old marriage vows (some people still adhere to them)\n\nFor better or worse\nFor richer or poorer\nIn sickness and health\netc.\n\nThat means you make a committment to see it through the tough times, NOT just say "ah, if he does something I don't like, or she gets on my nerves" I'll just get a divorce...\n\nCommit to making it last.\nAfter the committment you do need love, trust, understanding and patience.