The Secret of a Happy Marriage

I already heard a lot of different stories about marriage when I was a little kid. I can hear a group of wives in the neighborhood talking about their husbands. Most of them wouldn’t admit that they love their husbands. They just keep saying that it was their husband who loves them the most and that because of his persistence; he was able to win her heart. Ah, a common line. I could almost hear a lot of bitterness when they encounter financial problems. On the other hand, on a group of classy and rich wives, you would hear different stories. That they love their family the most and money can be replaced but not the husband. Apparently, they’re insecure not because they don’t have enough money but because they have enough to spend and for the husband to have affairs outside marriage. Ugh, life is hard.

When I got married, I have the outset that it’s not going to be easy. It will always be a work in progress. Boy, I didn’t know it was a lot of work, lol! Most of it though is all about battling with my false pride, grrrr.... Then, I asked my husband- what does it mean to be happily married? He replied its 95% happiness and 5% unhappiness. When we have arguments, he just tells me- we’re in it together. Well, I was just so silly of seeking perfection in a relationship and how uncomfortable it is to have fights. We normally get over it quick and we kind of joke about it afterwards.

Anyway, a friend sent this story through email and thought of sharing it here:
A man and woman had been married for more than 60 years. They had shared everything. They had talked about everything. They had kept no secrets from each other except that the little old woman had a shoe box in the top of her closet that she had cautioned her husband never to open or ask her about.

For all of these years, he had never thought about the box, but one day the little old woman got very sick and the doctor said she would not recover.

In trying to sort out their affairs, the little old man took down the shoe box and took it to his wife's bedside.

She agreed that it was time that he should know what was in the box. When he opened it, he found two crocheted dolls and a stack of money totaling $95,000.

He asked her about the contents. "When we were to be married," She said, "my grandmother told me the secret of a happy marriage was to never argue. She told me that if I ever got angry with you, I should just keep quiet and crochet a doll."

The little old man was so moved; he had to fight back tears. Only two precious dolls were in the box. She had only been angry with him twice in all those years of living and loving. He almost burst with happiness.

But what about all the money? Where did it come from?" Oh," she said, "That's the money I made from selling the dolls."