My marriage lasted from 1973 until 2000, and enede only with the death of my husband. I still "feel married", even though it's been three years. My parents were married 52 years when my mother died and my father was (and is) married for life. My grandfathers both lost their wives at 52 and neither of them ever dated again (they both died in their late 70's and 80's).

I think that married people today need reality checks. You don't throw in the towel every time the laundry isn't in the hamper, or he wants to watch a football game, or you can't decide who gets the last piece of pie, or the kids are driving you both nuts, or somebody left their dish on the floor and it's growing mould under the sofa, or you forgot to put gas int he car and he ran out on the way to work to a very important meeting, etc.

A good marriage takes hard work from both sides. You have to be ready to commit to it for life, not until something better comes along. Sometimes you have to actually do things that aren't fun, too.

And if anyone tells you they never argue, they are fibbing big time---everybody does----BUT, the arguments can be constructive or destructive.

We had many arguments in our 29 years, but boy, did we love to make up!! Made the arguments almost worth it, I'll tell you!