How to Have a Happy Marriage From People Who Know, Part 2 (of 3)

Last week I shared some of the results from a significant study of senior adults by gerontologist Dr. Karl Pillemer from Cornell University.  on how to have a happy marriage for the long haul.  He conducted 700 interviews with people 65 and older in what he calls The Marriage Advice Project.  See last week’s blog for more details about the study and the first half of the findings he reported.  Here are the rest of the advice he gained from his interviews: 

Tread carefully when discussing difficult topics.  If you want smooth marital communication, timing is critical.  Read cues from your partner to decide the best time to raise an issue.  When things aren’t going well in a discussion, back off, Pillemer says.  He also points out that one surprising finding from his research is retirees said that sometimes their marital arguments might be related to one or both of them needing to get something to eat. Whether it is low blood sugar or just the need for comfort, food seems to help tone down conflict.  One couple said when they were having a tiff, she offers her husband a sandwich, and he offers her a cup of tea. 

Put your relationship first.  Your relationship with your spouse has to come before the kids, in-laws, jobs, friends, and anything else, retirees said.  You don’t do your children much good if your marriage dries up. 

Lighten up on in-law relationships.

Many of the elder experts said you don’t marry a person; you marry his or her family.  People should work hard on the relationship with their in-laws, even though it may mean compromise, withholding opinions and searching for points to respect and admire.

Stay out of debt.

The couples in this study recommended living within whatever amount of money you make and avoiding debt, especially for luxury items and credit-card debt. 

Focus on small things to keep the spark alive.  Pillemer says, “Marriage is made of thousands of micro intentions.”  The retirees said to keep those interactions positive:  give compliments, do unexpected little things like the other person’s chores.  Many of those interviewed said the failure to give and receive compliments was one of their big regrets. 

Enjoy Intimacy.  Many older people who have a partner “are having very fulfilling sex lives. People really enjoy the sense of intimacy with a lifelong partner” according to Pillemer.  He goes on to say,  “one of my favorite quotes in the book was the guy who said, ‘Look at our age this is recreation, not procreation.”    

Respect each other.  This means paying attention to how you say things, and listening and showing that you are listening to what your partner says.  “Long-married retirees say the real danger of marriage is that you know someone so well that they are extremely vulnerable to you.  You have the ability to hurt them more than anybody else you know.  Respect is the protection against that,” says Pillemer. 

So there you have it, how to have a long, happy marriage from people who know.  In my next post I will comment on the points made from this study.  What do you think about the results from this study? 

Blessings,

Dr. Paul

How to Have a Happy Marriage From People Who Know, Part 1

How to Have a  Happy Marriage From People Who Know

Since it is Valentine's Day and everyone is thinking about love, or the lack thereof, I would like to share the results of an interesting study on how to be happily married, and for the long-haul.  I normally don’t spend much time reading material from gerontologists, but recently Karl Pillemer, a Cornell University gerontology professor did a study of hundreds of seniors asking them the secret to a happy marriage.  He spent the last four years conducting what he calls the Marriage Advice Project.  He did interviews with more than 700 retirees, 65 and older, who were married for an average of 43 years.  The longest was a marriage of 76 years between a 101 year-old man and a 98 year-old woman.  His sample included some people who were happily married for years, those who were widowed, and those who had been through multiple marriages and divorces.  As my wife and I look forward to our 30 wedding anniversary this June, and looking at his study from a Christian perspective, it was interesting to me to see what the people in his study had to say, and consider my perspective in comparison. 

So what did they have to say?  According to Pillemer, overall they said, “marriage is hard.  It takes spirit and resilience.  It is something you work at and get better at, but it is never completed.”  If there is one thing from this study I agree with, it is this, marriage does take work, hard work.  People too often think that it is just supposed to happen.  It doesn’t just happen, it takes making it a priority and working at it.  He also speaks of another valuable perspective that can only come with age and experience, “when you look back from the finish live over half century or more of marriage, lifelong marriage is incredibly good.  It’s almost indescribable.  It’s such a source of joy.” I’m not there yet, but looking at my marriage over these thirty years, there have been some serious hurdles, and with longevity comes a sense of satisfaction and joy that runs deeper. 

Here are some of the retirees’ insights on marriage.  I am using his bullet point titles in bold print, and I will reserve comment on each of these until we get through them all.  I plan to do this in three parts so keep coming back! 

Follow your heart when choosing a spouse.  According to Pillemer, retirees’ believe you need to experience that “in-love” feeling with the person you marry, and if you don’t have that, you probably shouldn’t get married.  He goes on to say, “all too many people get married with a not-in-love or this-is-wrong feeling, but you have to trust your instinct.  One hundred percent of the elders described a sensation of rightness.  If you lack that feeling, and you are just going into marriage because it’s time, they say it’s very likely not going to work out well.” 

Use your head.  The seniors in this study believe you can’t know for sure if the person is right for you, but you can increase the odds if you follow your head and look at important things as whether your potential spouse will be financially responsible, be a good parent, etc.  You need to look at traits such as honesty, fidelity, compassion, and having a sense of humor. 

Look for someone with similar values.  Pillemer points out that while there is a popular myth that opposites attract, these long-term married retirees say that is not true.  “They say a little bit of difference is good, but the fundamental reason is to marry someone a lot like you. Some differences can work, but if you have real differences in core values you’re not likely to last very long.”  Some of the areas they stressed are similar values about religion, money, child rearing, how you want to spend your time, and the importance of career. 

Talk, talk, talk.  All of the people in this study talked about the importance of communication.  According to these retirees, the “strong, silent type” may be attractive for a time, but usually doesn’t make the best lifelong partner.  Here is a test they propose: Can you go out for a two-hour dinner and keep an interesting conversation going?  If not, you need to work on your communication.

I will share the rest of Pillemer's findings in my next post, and then provide my thoughts in a third and final post.  

Blessings,

Dr. Paul

Living the "Lie"

This week I want to feature Susan Sciarratta from our counseling team.  Her post is about how we can get caught up in self-deception.

As we grow up, we make meaning from all the things that we do and experience.  Even the same event can be experienced differently by two people depending on what it means to them. A late afternoon thunderstorm may be an answer to a farmer’s prayer or a cancellation for a boy’s first baseball game. 

Likewise, our experiences can shape our beliefs, often without us realizing it.  For example, maybe you have a habit of always blaming other people for your personal misfortunes. Where did that come from? Somewhere along the way, you decided that nothing is ever your fault. Maybe you think that life should always be fair, or that all conflict must be avoided, or that you need to have everyone’s approval. These are lies that we believe, and the problem is that trying to live according to these lies and absolutes will eventually lead to disappointment and confusion.

Before you start thinking that Christians are exempt from these lies, think again. Christians shouldn’t show anger. Good Christians don’t get depressed. God can’t use me unless I am living a squeaky clean life. God will never forgive “that” sin. God wants me to be happy all the time. God will protect me from pain and suffering. Do any of these sound familiar to you or someone you love? Maybe you remember a specific time in your young life that led you to believe it, or maybe it took some years to develop this belief.

The next time “life” disappoints you, make a responsibility pie. Which slice belongs to you, and which to others? Does this situation impact what you think about yourself, or about God? Is there a Scripture or Bible story that parallels this situation? If this has happened before, was the outcome what you had expected? Were things ever not what they seemed at the time? Challenge yourself to seek the truth. Ask God to shine His light into the darkness of the lies, and rewrite that lie into a truth that will set you free from the chain of self-deception.

Susan Sciarratta