Love & Marriage: Is Your Spouse Your Best Friend?
Posted: Thursday, April 10, 2008
by Krystal Kuehn
New Day Counseling
When people first get married they usually expect their love and commitment to last for a lifetime. Unfortunately, for at least half of all couples it doesn't. What happens? Soon after marriage couples discover that the bliss of falling in love quickly fades. They no longer see each other through rose colored glasses. The ease with which they once overlooked each other's faults becomes much more difficult.
No one ever said that marriage is easy. Marriage is hard work. To keep a marriage strong, satisfying and lasting requires a great deal of investment. It takes time and energy to get to know and understand your spouse; to set goals and share dreams together; and to have fun and enjoy each other. Couples sometimes lose touch with each other and grow apart when they get lax and don't work on their marriage. Yet when they do, they are much more likely to feel very close and deeply cared for by their partner.
Couples who invest in their marriages can build deep friendships. Researchers have found that the level of a couple's friendship is the greatest indicator of success in marriage. Couples who are close and are best friends have more happiness and satisfaction in their lives. Best friends are trustworthy, safe, understanding, loving, accepting and respectful. Best friends are a strong buffer in times of trouble. You can count on them. They are supportive and faithful. Best friends can work through conflicts and pressures that threaten the relationship. Best friends do not give up on each other. They forgive. They share.
You may have been your spouse's partner and lover, but have you been your spouse's best friend? If your marriage is not all that you would like it to be and you want to begin investing more into your marriage to make it better, why not begin with your friendship. You may likely find that it is one of the greatest investments you will ever make.
Love & Marriage - Best Friends Forever
Copyright 2007 BeHappy4Life.com. All Rights Reserved
Krystal Kuehn, MA, LPC, LLP, NCC is a psychotherapist , author, teacher & musician. She is the cofounder of New Day Counseling , a family marriage counseling and child teen counseling center, BeHappy4Life.com , an award-winning, self-help and inspirational site where you can find hundreds of free resources, insights & words of inspiration to change your life, and Baby-Poems.com where you can find beautiful baby poems , baby quotes, cute sayings & baby videos that will touch your heart & increase your joy & gratitude for the children you love & enjoy!
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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)I think one of the things people forget when looking at broken marriages is that in actual fact many people do not marry for love at all, so love lost is NOT one of the factors. There are many reasons why people say 'I do' many of which can be external pressure, financial or just a feeling of 'why not?' or perhaps one partner is more committed to the relationship than the other. It's just too darn easy to do.
I've never understood the "best friend" factor in a marriage. I have a best friend and have done since I was little. A husband should be on a higher level. It goes without saying that to make something work you need to like that person, but I see a husband as nothing like a best friend...he should be way more than that!
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