Off topic: How often do married or committed couples fight or argue with each other?

 How often do married or committed couples fight or argue with each other?

We fight or argue as often as we want!

Now, I am going to assume the couples are "in like" as well as "in love," and there are no control or abuse issues or illegal drugs involved.

As a relationship between two people develops over time, the frequency and nature of arguments will change.

Money, the budget, lack of help in helping around the house, the cooking and cleaning up afterward, going out to venues, clothing, vehicles, and etcetera are all fair game in an argument.

The arguments change to things about the children or the partner's time spent at work or home. One partner does not feel appreciation from the other partner and feels hurt. You argue about family dynamics with the in-laws, or grown children not moving out or doing chores. You discuss having the children move back in and their bringing more people with them and how it will affect your budget.

Once again, we have a change in arguments; an in-law loses a partner or needs someone's help to stay at home or even help when they have to stay in managed care. Or a partner loses a job, and the other party does not think the unemployed partner is seeking work.

Things and arguments change once again. One of the partners has a health issue requiring surgery or develops an ongoing health issue, which will be an issue for the rest of that party's life. Work, insurance, bills, lack of assistance in daily matters come into play.

The longer a relationship lasts, if a couple truly grows into a mature relationship of love, the fewer things about which there will be arguments. A couple learns things, and circumstances change. Many times there is nothing either party can do to improve the outcomes of those circumstances.

The important thing is this; you love your partner. You cannot imagine being without this most crucial person in your life. Or, if you can imagine, it scares you to death.

So you let the little things you used to argue about go by the wayside. You are thankful for another day to hold, to kiss, to love, to appreciate your life's partner.

You support one another and pull together as a couple. Your strengths support the other party's weakness and vise versa. You become frail and less able to do the things that you once were able to do easily.

However, you thank God for every day that He blesses you with your life's partner's presence. The inevitable will happen; one of you will be going home.

Always hug your loved one, and kiss and make up after an argument. Never leave each other or go to sleep without saying, "I love you."

My husband and I will be married 51 years this coming June. We have large extended families and have seen first hand the ups and downs in marriages. We have had trials and tribulations within our marriage. Our faith and our love (and like) for one another keep our marriage strong.

Note: I wrote this a year ago and edited it to reflect our upcoming wedding anniversary of 51 years in 2021.  The statements today are as relevant as they were over a year ago.