One man said of his marriage, "I very distinctly remember my wedding day. As we unloaded the moving van into our little house, I said, 'Darling, this is your and my little world.'"
"And I suppose," wondered his friend, "that you've lived happily ever after?"
"We've been fighting for the world's championship ever since," he said.
That must have been the same couple who seemed to always be in conflict, but had a habit of calling a truce at bedtime. Every evening they knelt together and asked for strength to fight one more round....
They often wondered why they remained together. One night, while kneeling, she said to him, "Why don't we just ask God to strike one of us dead tonight, then this marriage would have peace at last...and I could go live with my sister."
All relationships experience conflict. Marriages, friendships, parents and children. But too many unfortunate souls, like this couple, seem to be unable to resolve their differences. Their relationship dries up, becomes brittle and breaks apart like a old and valuable photograph left in the hot sun. A union that once seemed a work of art eventually resembles a discolored and crumbling canvass. Finding and restoring those pieces to anything attractive can be a near-impossible task.
And the amazing realization is this: the incidents that finally destroy a relationship are usually small and insignificant! Momentous decisions and huge obstacles generally don't pull people apart. Most people in committed relationships can stand united when disaster strikes. It is the little problems, the insignificant stressors, that do the most damage when allowed to fester.
Do you know what issue causes the greatest number of conflicts in households? According to a "USA Today" report, people argue most often about which TV show to watch! Would any couple or family have believed that the selection of television programs would become the major cause of their unhappiness?
They forgot what is important! They forgot that relationships are built of such things as love, respect, consideration, kindness, and understanding. They forgot all those compelling and wonderful reasons that brought them together in the first place. Instead, they let minor inconveniences become major issues. In short, they forgot the basics. And they are paying a high price for their forgetfulness.
For healthy and satisfying relationships, it's vital to remember the basics:
Remember that the people of your life are more valuable than the things. That is basic.
Remember that there's a difference between inconveniences and hardships. That is basic.
Remember that the "little things," if left unattended, can hurt a relationship as much as the big ones. That, too, is basic.
And remember that love between individuals -- friends or family -- is the most precious possession we humans can hope to attain. Above all, other people should be cherished.
It's basic -- all of it. But it's the stuff of happy lives.
And that's something you can hang your hat on.
Most Recent Entries
11/21/08 - SOMETHING TO HANG YOUR HAT ON-YOUR CROSS A young man was at the end of his rope; seeing no way out, he dropped to his knees in prayer.
"Lord, I can't go on," he said. "I have too heavy a cross to bear."
The Lord replied, "My son, if you can't bear its weight, just place your cross inside this room. Then, open that other door and pick out any cross you wish."
The man was filled with relief and said, "Thank you Lord," and he did as...>>Read more...
The next morning while they are eating breakfast, the young woman sees her neighbor hanging the wash outside.
"That laundry is not very clean," she said. "She doesn't know how to wash correctly. Perhaps she needs better laundry soap." Her husband looked on, but remained silent.
Every time her neighbor would hang her wash to dry, the young woman would make the same...>>Read more...
A true story points to a universal truth about human beings: we learn best by watching how others behave.
President Calvin Coolidge once invited friends from his hometown to dine with him at the White House. Unsure of their table manners, the guests decided to imitate the president. They watched closely to see which utensils he used, what foods he ate and when.
Their strategy seemed to succeed until coffee was served. Coolidge...>>Read more...
They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family.
On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, "How was the trip?"
"It was great, Dad."
"Did you see how poor people live?" the father asked.>>Read more...
11/17/08 - SOMETHING TO HANG YOUR HAT ON-THE GRADE I received this in my e-mail box over the weekend. It was written by a minister, but the story told is one I could SO identify with, I just had to share it. If you were like me (and for that matter, my son) and were, shall we say, "overly social" in school, then this-"The Grade"-is for you.
"You must be a Bronner?"
I was sitting in the lunchroom of my kids' school. I had just finished making a presentation to one of the...>>Read more...
I got this and thought you would like it. It touch me cause the anniversary of my moms death is next month it will be years and still hurts.
Their marriage was good, their dreams focused. Their best friends lived barely a wave away. I can see them now, Dad in trousers, tee shirt and a hat and Mom in a house dress, lawn mower in one hand, and dish-towel in the other. It was the time for fixing things. A curtain rod, the kitchen...>>Read more...
• It helps you feel in control. In a recent study, people who wrote a letter expressing their gratitude once a week felt more independent that those who didn't – because they started to take credit for the good things in their lives.
Dave was struggling through a bus station with two huge and obviously heavy suitcases when a stranger walked up to him and asked, "Have you got the time?"
Dave sighed, put down the large and cumbersome suitcases and spoke to his wristwatch. "Time please."
"The time is five thirty," came a voice somewhere in the timepiece.
"Wow! What a watch!" exclaimed the stranger. >>Read more...
We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy; and I mean, he was really friendly.
