Thursday, September 20, 2012

Beringer White Zinfandel

Description on the bottle:  It's one of those little bottles that I love so much, but unfortunately there is no description.

Sarah says:  It's pretty much a given that I'm going to enjoy any White Zinfandel - and this is no exception.  It's light, fruity, easy to drink, goodness.  I would drink again... and again... and again.  :-)

Overall rating:  Thumbs up

Sarah says:  Other things I would do again?  Marry Jon.  As we celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary this week (and our 12th year together!) I got to thinking about what makes marriage work.  Per Wikipedia, we live in time when the average marriage is separated by 7 years and divorced by 8.  Jon and I aren't perfect by any means, we've had some serious fights, but we're not headed down the separation road either.  So, what is the secret?  What advice would I give to someone just starting out?  I've thought about this a lot and I've decided the best advice to give is: don't listen to anyone's advice on marriage.  No one knows your marriage better than you and your spouse, so the only people that should be working through your issues are you and your spouse!  If you are really feeling like you need to talk something through with someone - go to a counselor.  These people are trained to help you solve your problems together - whereas a friend, as well meaning as they might be, are not.  Bringing outside opinions into your marriage just creates drama and tension that no one really needs.  If people spent as much time working on their marriages as they do complaining about them to their friends, I bet they'd have a little more luck staying married. 

I'm not saying that anyone that is or was divorced didn't have good reasons for it, or is at fault in anyway.  I just think it's sad how common divorce is these days.  Sometimes it seems like an easy way out - but other times it seems so lonely.  Even though all the work Jon and I put into our marriage can be exhausting, and sometimes makes you question why you bother - it's worth it every time we get an evening where we find the time to talk, laugh, flirt and connect.  People have this wrong idea that marriage is supposed to be easy and fun all the time.  I disagree with that.  I think it's work - and like most work - you have to put in the effort to get the promotions and raises and good fortune at the end of the day.  I'm going to keep taking my own advice of not taking others advice - it keeps my marriage strong.

What's your secret to a successful marriage?

2 comments:

  1. Secret to a successful marriage (after 31 years): you just keep keepin' on!!! Create your memories, argue fairly, admit when you are wrong and ALWAYS (even in the midst of babyhood, swim team, cheer and track practices) keep your marriage #1. Your children will leave the nest and then there you will be sitting at your spouse saying, "now what?" I could not be happier marrying the guy I married. We have had so much fun along with the heartache. It is a journey and no one said any trip across the continent would go without it's joys and bruises!

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  2. I work with geriatrics & whenever I see a couple that has been married 40, 50, 60 years I always ask them what is the secret. I get a lot of different responses. The Men usually say, "Just learn to say Yes Dear." or, "Just learn that she's always right." The Women usually say, "you have to learn to give & take." or "you have to learn to communicate." Some have said, "you have to choose to make it work." The best one I ever heard, a man said, "Well, you just have to be too poor afford a divorce!" That one made me laugh :)

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