Tips to Keeping that Relationship alive

I often hear my co-worker & friends complaining about their spouses and the common complaint was that why can't their spouse be like somebody's else spouse, be it caring, loving....the list goes on. At the end of the day, the relationship gets sour and falls apart thru' a series of quarrel.

I thought about that often in my life although i'm not married yet. I don't wish to end up being in their shoes or worst having a bad relationship and getting a divorce at the end of the day. Not just that i'm a christian but i guess it also boils down to me being brought up in a conservative environment. My parents were match make and they still stick up with one another thru' all these years, although i must admit there are more quarrels than peace in our family. There is a old saying that when you are married to a chicken, you follow the chicken and when you are married to a dog, you follow the dog. Hence, whether your spouse is ill or well, penniless or wealthy, your marriage with him/her continues till death do us part....Another tip which i learnt from my friend was never to say the word "Divorce". In times of unhappiness in your marriage, you still stick with one another and work out that differences in life. Rather than burying that hurt, issue under the carpet, bring it out in the sun and settle that once and for all. It may sound impossible, or easy said than done, but its better to clear that issue right away and not let it procrastinate till further damages are done to your relationship will be too late. Believe me, its better to settle that ASAP than waiting and at the end of the day, you kinda forget what was that issue all about and like a vicious cycle, it keeps coming back to haunt you.

SO, all said, how do you keep that relationship alive? I guess always reviving that commitment towards one another is a must.
~ When was that last time, you go dine out with one another in that special restaurant both of you went when you were courting?
~ When was that last time, you gave a present to your love ones, i remember this occasion where my friend's father gave a air-ticket to his wife and sending her packing to visit his daughter, now wasn't that sweet?
~ When was that last time, both of you went for a holiday?
~ When was that last time, you gave each other time off, we are all human beings and we need that little space to catch up with our buddies or girlfriends.
~ When was that last time, you open the car door for your wife?

Now as long as my dad comes back early and have dinner with his family, a smile will always appear on my mum's face, hence there really isn't any hard and fast rule to keeping that relationship alive. Lastly COMMUNICATION, talk to your spouse. People nowadays don't have time to talk to another another, we prefer to Send Short Messages thru' our mobiles, emails..etc..Find time to talk and let that communication flow thru' and unless you do that, you will never be able to find out what works for each other, be it your spouse, children, friends, co-workers etc..