9. Find couples that are likeminded. You must have friends in common that don't just tolerate you, but celebrate you. | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Swoon

30 Marriage Lessons From My Parents On Their 30th Anniversary

What is the secret to a lasting relationship? To "remember that the person that will be there through it all is your spouse. They are your best friend."

4200
30 Marriage Lessons From My Parents On Their 30th Anniversary
Jackie White

After my parents' 30th anniversary this October, I began to reflect on the importance that their relationship has had in my life. I became appreciative of the wisdom they have shared with me throughout the years and thought it would be selfish to keep that wisdom to myself!

That being said, I decided to interview my Mom and Dad about what the secret to a lasting relationship is. Here are some pieces of advice from the mouths of my parents themselves:

1. Marriage is two imperfect people forgiving each other every single day. 

2. Don't sweat the small stuff.

3. Have a shared set of beliefs and values.

4. Pray together daily.

5. Pray for your spouse daily.

6. Pray for your marriage daily.

7. Find laughter throughout the day. Laughter does good like a medicine. Keep your humor and don't take yourself too seriously. 

8. Be spontaneous!

9. Find couples that are likeminded. You must have friends in common that don't just tolerate you, but celebrate you. 

10. Never go to bed angry.

11. Remember that your spouse's job is not to make you happy. Joy must come from a higher source.

12. Become interested in your spouses interests. It's not all about you!

13. Be deliberate about scheduling date nights. You have to continue to keep the spark going!

14. Marriage is hard work. Don't give up. 

15. Give daily affection. In the midst of your shared routine, something as simple as a hug or a kiss communicates to your spouse that you love them. 

16. Remember that marriage is a sacred promise-- it is a promise to love one another, for better or for worse.  

17. If tempers escalate, sometimes it is best to walk away, cool down, and revisit a disagreement. 

18. Go to Texas A&M games together! Gig'em!

19. Be sincere and vulnerable. Vulnerable communication is vital. If you can't be vulnerable to your spouse, who can you be vulnerable to? 

20.  Be intentional about listening. You have two ears and one mouth. Use them in that order. 

21. Do activities that make your spouse happy! If your spouse likes classic movies, watch classic movies with them. If your spouse loves sports, go to sports games with them.

22. Don't ever be afraid to go to professional counseling-- that is the sign of a healthy relationship. 

23. Anything worth keeping is worth discipline. Love is an action as well as a feeling.

24. Don't ever forget the big dates (anniversary, birthdays, etc.). These are annual opportunities to celebrate one another. 

25. Learn to respond versus react. 

26. Share your life goals together. Ask your spouse, "where do you see us in 10 years? 15? 20?"

27. Seek to understand and empathize. 

28. You can't tell the person you love that you love them enough. You simply cannot overdo this expression. Tell this to your spouse daily.

29. Negatives will always be there. Find the positives in every situation that you and your spouse find yourself in. 

30. Marriage evolves in every season. Friends come and go, and kids grow up and embark on their own life journey. Remember that the person that will be there with you through it all is your spouse. They are your best friend. 

Everyone who knows them loves them, but none more than me! They have taught me to always err on the side of grace, live life in constant celebration, and love others without reproach - they do so with me and with each other. Mom and Dad, thank you for teaching me about love!

Report this Content
Featured

Yoga love

A long over due thank you note to my greatest passion.

25007
A person in a yoga pose surrounded by a supportive community of fellow yogis with a look of peace and gratitude on their face the image should convey the sense of strength mindfulness and appreciation that the writer feels towards yoga
StableDiffusion

Dearest Yoga,

You deserve a great thank you.

Keep Reading...Show less
Arts Entertainment

Epic Creation Myths: Norse Origins Unveiled

What happened in the beginning, and how the heavens were set in motion.

6189
The Norse Creation Myth

Now, I have the everlasting joy of explaining the Norse creation myth. To be honest, it can be a bit kooky, so talking about it is always fun. The entire cosmos is included in this creation myth, not just the earth but the sun and the moon as well. This will be a short retelling, a summary of the creation myth, somewhat like I did with Hermod's ride to Hel.

Keep Reading...Show less
Old school ghetto blaster sat on the floor
8tracks radio

We all scroll through the radio stations in the car every once in a while, whether its because we lost signal to our favorite one or we are just bored with the same ol' songs every day. You know when you're going through and you hear a song where you're just like "I forgot this existed!" and before you know it, you're singing every word? Yeah, me too. Like, 95% of the time. If you're like me and LOVE some good throwback music, here's a list of songs from every genre that have gotten lost in time, but never truly forgotten.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

27 Hidden Joys

Appreciation for some of life's most discredited pleasures.

36494
Best Things in Life

Life is full of many wonderful pleasures that many of us, like myself, often forget about. And it's important to recognize that even on bad days, good things still happen. Focusing on these positive aspects of our day-to-day lives can really change a person's perspective. So in thinking about the little things that make so many of us happy, I've here's a list of some of the best things that often go unrecognized and deserve more appreciation:

Keep Reading...Show less
beer on the beach

Summer is hot and humid, and it's almost like summer was made specifically to drink the refreshing, cold, crisp wonderful, delicious, nutritious nectar of the gods. Which is none other than beer; wonderful cold beer. With summer playing peek-a-boo around the corner while we finish up this semester, it's time to discuss the only important part of summer. And if you haven't already guessed, it's beer. There are few things I take more seriously than my beer, in order are: sports... and beer. Here are my favorite summer brews:

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments