It is so convenient these days to get divorced when your marriage isn't "working out" the way you would like. Before you sign those papers consider staying together.
Whether you are on your first marriage or your fifth, you can make the choice to stay together and make it work, even if it feels like the marriage is over. In our society divorce is no longer considered scandalous as it was in years past. This makes it easier to choose divorce as an option if things aren’t “working out” the way you had planned. At some point though, you may want to say enough is enough. I’m going to stick this out, I made vows and I intend to make my marriage work.
Marriage is a partnership if you can view it as such instead of an emotional state you will find it easier to stick with it. Consider for example a business relationship, there are many people at work you probably don’t care to be associated with but for the greater good of the company you find a way to work together. Doesn’t your family deserve as much?
Love is a decision, not a feeling. The romantic feelings of love that seem to overwhelm us in the beginning of a relationship are fleeting. Sometimes it can be sustained for years, for others the initial fire of early love ends much sooner. To decide to love someone is to remain devoted, loyal, faithful and considerate long after the fire of new love has been forgotten. Think of the decision to love as long burning embers that with time and attention continue to remain hot long after the flame has gone out.
Giving up is selfish when there are children to consider. To end your marriage because you are bored, lonely or disenchanted with your spouse is immature and selfish. Children deserve to live with and be loved by both their parents on a daily basis. Once you chose to have children you gave up the right to make decisions based on how you feel. Becoming a parent meant that every decision you make from the moment they were conceived would be in the best interest of the child.
Arguing is counter productive, learn to discuss things rationally and always leave the past in the past. Take all of the energy that would be spent arguing and use it to make improvements in your communication skills. If you and your spouse find it difficult to discuss issues without arguing, try talking while sitting near one another and holding hands. It is very hard to become angry when you are making intimate physical contact.
Try these suggestions and put them into practice in your marriage. Maybe we can turn the divorce rate around in our country. Maybe we can bring value back to the institution of marriage.
by: Cynthia Peterson
Feb 24, 2007
