NYC, NY 18 years and STILL fightin!

Tomorrow, Jan 28th Mario and I will celebrate 18 years as husband and wife. I am very proud of this achievement. However, I would be lying to say it was all peace and bliss. This list if some things I have learned in my long marriage.....

ALWAYS BE FRIENDS FIRST.
This is the strength in the relationship that you can fall back on time and again. If you are best friends then nothing can come between you. And, if you can't tell your significant other EVERYTHING....and I mean everything, then they are not your soul mate. Not that you WILL tell them everything, but you should be able to. There is a difference.

BE WILLING TO COMPROMISE...
...Everything but your principles. If your mate wants to do something they really enjoy do it with them, at least try it. If they are having a good time and you really love them then that should b enjoyment enough. The only time this is not a rule is when the thing they want you to try or do makes you feel uncomfortable. And I mean REALLY FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE. If it truly goes against your beliefs or makes you feel bad or miserable they would not ask you to do it if they truly loved you.

YOU WILL FIGHT....ACCEPT IT!
A healthy relationship between two people is enhanced by their differences. When you clash and fight it means you care enough to make your feelings known. beware the relationship with no arguments, they are almost always doomed. Friends fight and make-up, it's perfectly normal.

LET THEM BREATHE.
If they are with you 24/7, one day you will wake up and realize you have nothing to talk about because you are always together. Every loving couple goes through the "I will die if we are apart for a night" phase. However, I can say from experience, it is a great milestone in any relationship when you realize you CAN spend a night ...or several apart and live and even laugh. The absolute strongest reaffirmation of love is when you come back from your getaway and realize that while you had a great time away you would have had an even better time with your mate. And it makes them feel great when you tell them that!

TRUST
Without this, you have nothing. If your mate will cheat, they will cheat. You can do nothing to prevent that. Jealousy is a waste of time. But don't be stupid either. Remember, no matter how fat, skinny, young, old, pretty or ugly your mate is there is someone out there willing to take them if you don't want them. the best way to prevent straying is to appreciate what you have and show it.

DON'T CHANGE FOR OR TRY TO CHANGE THEM.
Change fro yourself, if you want to. If you think it will make you a better person. But don't change to please someone else. It won;t work and besides, if they love you, they love you, no if ands or buts. And don't try to change them. The same rules apply to both.

LOVE MEANS HAVING TO SAY YOUR SORRY SOMETIMES...
..But not always! Sometimes no one has to say their sorry, sometimes both do and sometimes one does. Just make sure it's not the same person saying sorry all the time. Because regardless if its you or them, eventually, that person will start to feel resentment and that will not end well.

YOUR MATE IS NOT A MIND READER
If you like or dislike something they do TELL them. If you keep quiet and don't bring it up don't complain! No one comes with a set of instructions.

MONEY IS NOT EVERYTHING BUT IT'S DANG IMPORTANT!
You cannot live on love alone. If you have money issues now work them out before you marry. Trust me, few things makes marriage more difficult than money issues.

YOU SHOULD FEEL LIKE YOU ARE GAINING FROM A RELATIONSHIP.
Of course you must be there to support each other in good times and bad. Problems rarely rear their ugly head in good times. However, don't always be the martyr and the one giving up everything for the other person. In the end, regardless of it takes 10 months or 25 years the resentment will build and you will want out. A relationship must be mutually rewarding in all areas. If you feel shortchanged now think of how you wil

 

Congratulations on 18 years of marriage

 

Wow, well said.

Congrats on your 18 years.

 

Happy anniversary! And many many more years!

 

Congratulations! Much love to you both!

 

Congrats, Mario & Christina! Here's to many more years of love & happiness

 

NICE!!!!

I like the list. CONGRATS YOU TWO!!!

~DG~

 

Nothing is guaranteed to last forever except Craftsman tools.

Congratulations! May you both fight for another 18 years.

 

w00t! *~*~*Mucho congratulationes!*~*~* *throws confetti*

 

Congratulations!

 

Congratulations

 

Congratulations!

See! And who says that marriages never last?

 

Congrats. I'll hit 15 this year.

<raises glass>

Here's to "never catching up with you."

Cheers!

 

Congratulations!

Some sage advice there. If only people could come to know and follow it . . .

 

Some sage advice there. If only people could come to know and follow it . . .
Mazel Tov on so many years together. May there be many more ahead then were behind. May the best of the past. Be the worst of the future. Victoria is very blessed to have parents like you. Who have the understanding and love that you and Mario share. As evidenced by your list above. G-D BLESS YOU ALL FOR MANY YEARS.

"There's love there. All you need is love. John Lennon, smart man. Shot in the back very sad."

Judd Hirsch as Julius Levin Independence Day

 

Happy Anniversary!
Congrats and may you have many more years of love and happiness

 

Congrats on the Anniversary.

Here's to another 18 filled with love and happyness.

 

Congrats and many more happy aniversaries.