Recently, I read an article from Jimmy Evans of Marriage Today, about a couple in a deeply troubled marriage. They had apparently reach a crisis point in their relationship and were on the verge of divorce.
That’s when the wife had a 'eureka moment'. She realised it was time to do something drastic. So she asked her husband to take her hunting. Hunting was his favourite activity, and though she had never shown any interest in it, she was committed to doing whatever it took to heal their strained marriage.
The husband was shocked. In fact, he was so surprised he laughed when she told him. But he couldn’t think of a good reason to say no to her. So, reluctantly, he took her along on a hunting trip the next weekend.
That trip saved their marriage. She’d never had any desire to hunt, but soon learned to enjoy it. The shared interest led to them doing other things together. They became friends again, and it restored their relationship.
Friendship won the day
Jimmy went on to explain that friendship is where almost all marriage relationships begin, and it’s the glue that keeps your marriage from getting stale. Women tend to bond through meaningful conversation, but men bond through having fun together.
A healthy marriage includes both of those elements—open, honest conversation and the enjoyment of shared interests. Think about how men become buddies with each other. It’s not by having long, intimate discussions, but by doing stuff. They play basketball, long tennis or football together. They go camping or fishing or bowling together.
Men bond through recreation.
Men bond through recreation. That’s how they connect with their friends and that's how they long to connect with their wives. Numerous surveys indicate that men in happy marriages are far more likely to identify their wives as their “best friends. That’s the greatest compliment a man can give.
To put it bluntly, men are interested in fun and sex. Remove those things from a marriage—like in the example of the couple above—and you’re left with something closer to a living arrangement than a vibrant, healthy relationship.
Unfortunately, many men find it difficult to grow close to another person …until recreation is involved. That’s when men become more open and vulnerable, sharing their hearts and talking about things they might otherwise keep to themselves.
I agree 100% with Jimmy Evans. My wife is definite my best friend. Your spouse too can be your best friend, if you make it a priority to do things you love together and communicate about everything openly and sensitively.
Adapted from an article sent to me from Marriage Today.
That’s when the wife had a 'eureka moment'. She realised it was time to do something drastic. So she asked her husband to take her hunting. Hunting was his favourite activity, and though she had never shown any interest in it, she was committed to doing whatever it took to heal their strained marriage.
The husband was shocked. In fact, he was so surprised he laughed when she told him. But he couldn’t think of a good reason to say no to her. So, reluctantly, he took her along on a hunting trip the next weekend.
That trip saved their marriage. She’d never had any desire to hunt, but soon learned to enjoy it. The shared interest led to them doing other things together. They became friends again, and it restored their relationship.
Friendship won the day
Jimmy went on to explain that friendship is where almost all marriage relationships begin, and it’s the glue that keeps your marriage from getting stale. Women tend to bond through meaningful conversation, but men bond through having fun together.
A healthy marriage includes both of those elements—open, honest conversation and the enjoyment of shared interests. Think about how men become buddies with each other. It’s not by having long, intimate discussions, but by doing stuff. They play basketball, long tennis or football together. They go camping or fishing or bowling together.
Men bond through recreation.
Men bond through recreation. That’s how they connect with their friends and that's how they long to connect with their wives. Numerous surveys indicate that men in happy marriages are far more likely to identify their wives as their “best friends. That’s the greatest compliment a man can give.
To put it bluntly, men are interested in fun and sex. Remove those things from a marriage—like in the example of the couple above—and you’re left with something closer to a living arrangement than a vibrant, healthy relationship.
Unfortunately, many men find it difficult to grow close to another person …until recreation is involved. That’s when men become more open and vulnerable, sharing their hearts and talking about things they might otherwise keep to themselves.
I agree 100% with Jimmy Evans. My wife is definite my best friend. Your spouse too can be your best friend, if you make it a priority to do things you love together and communicate about everything openly and sensitively.
Adapted from an article sent to me from Marriage Today.
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