For the romantic ones, we all want a love that will last centuries.
When we were younger, we’ve always been taught that getting married was the end-all-be-all ride-into-the-sunset kind of ending.
However, these things only work in TV shows and movies. In reality, marriage is just the beginning of a rollercoaster journey where two people learn the true meaning of love. And when it comes to the best pieces of advice, who better to ask than those who are living a life still full of love?
LDS Living interviewed three couples.
The couples have been together between more than twenty years and less than sixty years. However, the wisdom remains unchanged.
We’ll summarize as much as they can the wisdom they shared so that we too can find ourselves in their shoes – old, wrinkly, but deeply in love.
If there’s a golden rule, it’s all about compromise.
One couple shared that they both go to different churches. Lynda Graham said that it didn’t matter that her husband Jim wasn’t part of her church because she loves him deeply. She said that she was willing to accept that “it was good while it lasted.”
However, a couple of years later when their first kids came along, she knew she can’t let go of Jim and that he wanted him to be her “forever.”
While staying in different churches, Jim and Lynda agreed on one thing, no matter the church the lesson is the same – they taught their children to love the Lord.
Next, it’s all about mutual respect.
Vern Call fell for Mayumi and he fell hard. He often describes his wife as the epitome of serenity, like an anchor to his ship on stormy seas.
However, he also realized that he was marrying into a culture so different than his own. He learned about Mayumi’s culture and respected that.
Meanwhile, Mayumi also shared that they both respected the concept of personal space. While they are a couple and they do things as a team, there are moments when you just want to do things as an individual. At the end of the day, it’s all about coming home to each other’s arms.
Last but definitely not least, it’s about grit.
People come into relationships thinking it’s going to be rainbows and butterflies, and everything nice. Bonnie Knowlton found herself at the crossroads when she realized that marriage wasn’t as “fun” as she expected.
Marriage is the culmination of your dating life. What comes after is love because love takes work. It means showing up. It means understanding, forgiving, growing, hurting, and going through the long dark tunnel together.
And when all has been said and done, those who emerge from those moments become stronger and better. And that is one of the biggest secrets of staying in love for a very long time.
Other couples pitched in their secrets for a happy marriage.
One of the things that popped up often was that a happy marriage was built by those who forgive.
And more importantly, another commenter said “Only you and your spouse are in your relationship.” This means that for every decision and every moment, it should be both your intentions alone and no one else’s.
Watch the secrets of these old couples when it comes to staying married and in love.
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