It wasn’t that long ago I was having a conversation with a woman who has been married for less than a year. We got on the topic of how marriage changes, something she didn’t quite believe.
I remember being there. You think it will always be full of passion and you will always put each other’s needs first. Everything your spouse does is cute.
Well here is the reality. It won’t always be full of passion because sometimes you will be exhausted at the end of a long day. You won’t always put your spouse’s needs first, especially when the children come. And suddenly you will find habits that were once endearing to be irritating.
Now some might look at this as a bad thing. Of course, it can definitely go that route.
But much of this is just normal life. The honeymoon phase will eventually end and you will go on to experience changes in your marriage.
It doesn’t necessarily mean that’s bad. It just means you need to be prepared.
Sometimes it’s the career, having children or just starting to grow older that can bring about those changes. In the midst of the changes are good times and bad. Learn to enjoy the good and know that the bad will eventually pass.
You can’t possibly be the same couple 20 years into your marriage as you were the day you got married. But hopefully you will mature and grow closer together. You have likely weathered many a storm, which only serves to strengthen the bond.
Too often we look at change in marriage as a negative thing. It doesn’t have to be. It can be a beautiful part of marriage.
Most of this depends on your willingness to stick through the challenging times, not have unrealistic expectations and remember that no one is perfect…including yourself.
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