30 years is a long time.
Time, unwavering, continually moving forward, pushing onward, erodes a marriage.
Time, unrelenting, motioning ahead, progressing through, strengthens a marriage.
Wait. Can both statements be true? Absolutely and commitment is the force guiding time.
There are three levels of marriage commitment:
- I Have To – Factors such as kids, money or family compel you to stay married.
- I Ought To – External influences such as society or religion expect you to stay married.
- I Want To – Personal dedication to your marriage because you want to be married.
While Missy show commitment levels 1 and 2, she is a perfect example of number three.
Missy enjoys being married and it shows in how she relates to me and the little things she does all the time. And by little, I mean things that don’t take large effort or are grand in nature. Thinks like back rubs, special meals and such are parts of this, but it’s even simpler things:
- Listening to me.
- Appreciating me.
- Wanting to be with me.
- Loving me.
There is no doubt we’ve continued our marriage for so long due to Missy’s personal commitment.