Marriage is an exclusive, mutually supportive, loving relationship between two individuals. For it to work well and last a long time, both people need to be willing to contribute over 50% to make it work. Yes, I know that that’s more than 100%, but the point is that each partner needs to be ready and willing to contribute more than their “fair share” to keep the loving relationship strong and healthy.

As a child, we rely on our parent(s) to guide and advise us as to the proper path to take; we know they are on our side. When we get to be teenagers, we need to “stretch our wings” and learn to be more self-reliant. If our parent(s) are too slow to relinquish control, this can lead to “teenage rebellion.”

When we reach adulthood, some of us have become so self-reliant that we feel we don’t need the help and companionship of a marital partner. It’s a good thing for the sake of the future generation that most people do opt for the establishment of a stable, loving relationship suitable for the creation of and the rearing of children. Thus, the cycle begins again and each parent is committed to fostering the growth and development of both their marital partner and any offspring they may have produced.

In an ideal marriage, everyone wins; everyone is supported in reaching their maximum potential and becoming the best and fullest human being they can be. Additionally, there will be a lot of fun along the way as the pleasures of life are shared. Even though life has a way of throwing both big and small challenges at us, it’s a lot easier to handle the challenges of life when you’re part of a mutually supportive, loving family.