Nearly half of all marriages end in divorce. This surprising statistics makes many people think twice before tying the knot(结). This statistic also makes one wonder what causes a marriage to succeed. My parents have been married for 35 years, and though they’ve had their ups and downs, they have had a wonderful relationship. Why has their marriage succeeded
My parents have always expressed their love for each other. Throughout their courtship (求婚), they did many wonderful things for each other: Buying flowers, writing letters and sending surprises. They’ve continued these practices throughout their marriage as ways of showing love.
Another quality of my parents’ marriage is that they are very flexible about their demands and expectations of each other. When I was four, Dad was laid off for his job. As a result, Mom entered the workforce. Although Dad was soon rehired, Mom enjoyed her job so much that she decided to keep it. Dad was a bit surprised, but he could see it made her happy. If problems arouse because of the time demands of their jobs, they worked through these problems—together.
My parents remain committed to each other, even during difficult times. Early in their marriage Dad was sent overseas as a communication specialist. He wrote home every now and then, but he didn’t see Mom for nine months. Mom was home alone. Sometimes her single coworkers would encourage her to go out with them and have a good time, but Mom declined. She told me that she had made a commitment to my father, and she was living in that commitment. Meanwhile, thousands of miles away, Dad was living up to the same commitment. When they were reunited, they had nothing to be ashamed of and nothing to be angry with each other about. I have come to believe that their absolute commitment to each other is, more than anything else, what has caused their marriage to work.
I once heard someone say that marriage isn’t a fifty to fifty deal. It’s ninety-ten on both sides. Could that be the secret of a successful marriage It seems to describe the one my parents have. According to the passage, people tend to hesitate before they ______.