Reflections on Marriage - part 2

It is good to be together; it is good to be apart.

Some folks get married and think they are going to spend every possible moment together. After a few weeks they wonder why they are bickering and nitpicking at one another. In my experience, while it is good to have hobbies and activities to share, it is also important to get some space from one another.

When my husband and I got married, we both had an interest in music, movies and books, and we had a shared social group. As the years have gone on, we have found more interests in common. But we also have things that we do on our own. My husband likes to golf, he reads and researches information on entertainment (podcasts, TV shows, movies, etc) and football (specifically the NFL). I like to be crafty, I do things at my son's school, and I read almost constantly. We each go out periodically with friends - but not with one another.

There is a danger of going too far in the other direction, of course, especially as a marriage goes on over the years. If the couple doesn't make a conscious effort to share in interests and activities, they can find themselves living more as roommates than as a couple. Balance is key.