TALK THROUGH AND WALK THROUGH - each partner is willing to take the time to talk through and walk through

A common expectation of young couples is the assumption that any present idiosyncrasies or weaknesses of a spouse can easily be changed after the "I DOs". The only person you can change is yourself, your partner may also change over the years but not by coercing or threatening.
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The imperfections which are evident before marriage will become more noticeable after marriage. However, when each partner is willing to take the time to talk through and walk through those imperfections in character, beliefs and attitudes, change is possible.
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Daily communication will lay the foundation upon which to build a solid healthy relationship. Everyone recognizes the need to water his lawn everyday during summer. One day without water will not kill a lawn, but withhold water for several days and you'll turn a beautiful green lawn into a barren clump of dirt. Likewise, when you water your marriage with words of love, encouragement and humour, that marital union will never dry up. Instead, it will prepare that relationship to become like fertile soil in which seeds of faithfulness can be sown to produce a fruitful marriage.
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The marriage that bears fruit is one which eliminates the option pf divorce. The individuals take their vow seriously when they really take each other for better for worse. They don't demand that the other person does all the changing. They don't demand perfection from their mates. Despite the problems, the hurts, the tears and tensions, they remain committed to one another.
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- Yohn Rick