HOW TO STAY MARRIED TO THE ONE YOU LOVE

About to celebrate 46 years of marriage, a colleague asked how I did it. Basically be yourself-stay an individual. Then be a couple. Then be a family. She asked did you always know it. I said yes. Taking time to stay connected to oneself is so important. You must understand, my husband does not like most of my interests. So I would have not been able to have a full life. Being able to do things alone. Yes alone is so important. I love genealogy- he tolerates it. I love shopping- he does not unless it is food and then he is happy. I rarely grocery shop with him because he is always so critical of what I buy. So I do some food shopping but the stuff he does not buy. We garden but different aspects. He likes to grow the vegetables but I do other parts of the garden- like the flowers and weeding. Due to his health issues, he has no desire to travel anymore. He says he wants his bed. So day trips it is. Maybe I can convince him to do an overnight! So how to have a full life. Well dinners out or lunches or breakfasts work! Time with the grandchildren work too. A day at the beach, the park, a movie work in small doses. As my life is changing, planning for a holiday alone is on the agenda. I am not tired of travel. But he is! So like other aspects of life, marriage changes as it goes along! Then my girls said Mom I will go with you so maybe the dynamics of travel will change. A girls' trip somewhere!