Common thinking/ideas from the beginning

If there is an issue, work it out. Don't let it fester

And most importantly get God involved in your life and marriage

32 years in in a little over 2 weeks

Make sure she wants to be a wife and not just married. They are not the same thing.

You are correct! Yes i am a Christian Conservative and we are having difficulties with the liberal stuff again and i am just trying to do what i can to avoid a divorce.

You can be right,OR you can be happy!
Like others have said find out early what your grievance resolution process is and use it. Very rare when 2 people agree on everything. Treat her with the utmost respect at all times and never give in on everything. And never expect your word to be law .
Laugh as much as possible and do small things that make her smile. You will age, you will find different things of interest just don't look for someone new when the new wears off . After almost 40 years together we both agree we don't have the time or patience to Train a new one 😀
Happy Wife,Happy Life

35 years come December, the only advice I have is put God first.

44 years,,be very selective when choosing, both need to be on the same page, with kids, finances, etc...and there will be some difficult moments, and you need to be best friends......

That said....even the good ones short circuit now and then...

I think respect is important. I think a woman needs to be a woman and a man a man. I think trying to change the natural role of men and women causes nothing but but discord. Stand naked in front of mirror with your bride. Its real obvious who is to provide and protect and who is to nurture. This modern change and blend roles is the cause of most divorce. Something like 90% of divorces are filed by women. If a woman does not want to be a trad wife move on is my advice.

We have been best friends and we still do everything together. Shopping, work around the acreage, you name it: I tell her I love her every morning before I leave for work. She does too. We’ve been through a lot together. Three homes, raised two boys, cancer, trapping, family trips, emergency rooms. Budget and bills, you name it. I can’t imagine going through any of that without her., and she has told me the same.
Go clothes shopping both her. Let her show off something she found. Be excited for her on the successes. You have to be best friends and there for each other through thick and thin. Respect her and treat her well.
I’ve made my wife breakfast in bed for many, many years and serve it to her when I leaving so she has a good start to her day. And I make sure it’s things she likes. She has a favorite caffeine drink she likes and that is what she gets. You find your own thing to say I love you. She is a farm girl. Hates to get flowers she thinks it’s a waste of money. She can operate about any piece of equipment better than most men. I’ve seen her in combines, D9 dozers, big trucks, you name it. She can back trailers and makes fun of how I do it. She is awesome. Oh and there is an 11 year spread between us and she doesn’t care neither do I.
Other than that, you just always have to think the world can be against you sometimes and even family could be that, but you two build those “walls” around what you have and protect each other no matter what. You build and always maintain trust. I don’t buy anything big without talking to her about it. We are a team.
That’s what we have done.
Jim

I bet the men in that 90% got lazy and stopped leading.

it'll be 37 years for us on Wednesday.

put God first.

remember that things said in the heat of an argument can hurt/last forever.

treat her like the girl you proposed to.

My wife and I have been together forty-five years, married for the last seven (that's a whole other story). We've had plenty of rough patches but always worked through them.

We have very different interests. I'm into hunting, trapping, fishing and custom woodworking. She is into breeding and selling budgies (parakeets), she ships them all over the country.

She has hunted and fished with me but her interest is luke-warm at best. But she supports me in those pursuits. I'm always headed off to camp for a week or more at a time and she's good with that.

I'm not into the budgie thing at all. I do support her interest in it though. I built her "The Bird Room" and I build nest boxes and various item for her hobby/side business. I'm okay with her spending more time with those birds than with me. LOL

One thing that we do share is a political ideology, we are both strong conservatives. That is one issue that I imagine would be hard for us to work through. My oldest daughter is smart and ambitious, she sets goals and smashes them. She worked hard and achieved her dream job of traveling the world. I love and respect her. Unfortunately, six years at expensive colleges turned her into a liberal and over the years has put a serious strain on our relationship and her relationship with the rest of the family.

I know that's not what you ask for or wanted to hear but I don't see how either one of you could compromise on your core beliefs. I know I can't. Probably the best thing you could both do to keep the marriage together is to agree to not discuss politics at all, ever.

Respect, kindness, helping, partnership, giving credit, being there, loyalty, trust.

42 years together and the one thing I believe is the most important is letting each be themselves. I do many outdoor activities and she has never once tried to change my ways. She also has hobbies and things that she does and I never try to change her ways. Political we are like James Carville and Mary Matalin. We never fight over politics and we see each others views as it is. I respect her views no matter what it is and never try to change her views.

Celebrated 55 in Sept, best way to say it is give more than you get, don't be afraid of asking for their opinion on major issues involving family matters, and actually listen to them, surprise them on occasion with a little something, a bouquet of flowers for no special reason,

Don’t believe in divorce. Starting out with that mindset is a great help

Communication. Keep your discussions open, help when your needed and ask when you need help. Never guess what they are thinking ask what they are thinking. Your partner should be the easiest to talk to.

Stay in church put God first put her second that has worked for me 55 and a half years.

Will be 49 yrs this december . Stay loyal and give and take . Lots of good times.

I had to do the marry thing twice to get it right. First one was a mistake from the start, lasted 11 years. Second one has been 33 years so far. I would say find someone with the same type of values and basic wants, like live in rural or city, belief in God, children things like that help a lot and of course someone you can respect

A marriage is a two person commitment. Happy wife happy life is one sided and I don't agree.

Agreed 100%.