Five things a woman wants in marriage

Every little girl dreams of marrying a handsome, prince-like young man and living happily ever after. Sometimes, those wishes come true. Once committed, most women will work their hearts out to make their marriage succeed. However, there are certain qualities she will expect from the man she vows to love, honor and obey for the rest of her life. Among them are:

1. Fidelity

If a woman cannot trust her husband to be faithful in all aspects of their relationship, then the marriage is probably doomed to failure. Of course, physical fidelity is of the utmost importance. In addition, a wife should be able to trust that her husband will not discuss the problems and complaints, which arise periodically in any marriage, with outsiders. Ideally,  partners should be able to discuss difficulties openly and negotiate satisfactory solutions calmly and reasonably.    

2. Love

Physical intimacy is essential during the early years of marriage; however, as  time passes the importance of love manifested as a deep, abiding friendship and mutual respect becomes increasingly important. As years pass, either spouse may develop physical problems which limit the expression of marital intimacy. If the relationship has evolved to the phase wherein each one truly considers the other his or her best and most trusted friend, the marriage can survive whatever difficulties life presents. 

3. Partnership

 Most wives are willing to commit their all to make their marriage a success. However, few are foolish enough to accept one hundred percent of the responsibilities the union will entail. If the wife agrees to works outside the home to help support the family, the husband must be ready to share half of the childcare duties and household chores. The privileges and responsibilities of successful marriages are a fifty-fifty proposition.

4. Tolerance

No human being is perfect and every marriage will experience its share of bumps along the way. Each partner must try to be non-judgemental, to control his or her temper, and to allow a spouse extra space when he or she is having a bad day.  Temper tantrums, accusations, put-downs, and hurtful comments will be remembered long after any temporary irritation is forgotten. However, patience, kindness and understanding will pay dividends to the tolerant partner when the tables are turned, some day in the future.

 5. Humor

Women love men who can make them laugh. Most situations in life, which seem irritating or serious at the time, will also have a funny side, if one takes the trouble to look for it. Humor goes a long way dispel tension and dissipate anxiety. The wise husband will make it a priority to coax a giggle, a chuckle, or at least a smile from his spouse several times a day. From these comic-relief moments will spring the anecdotes both parties will recall with pleasure in the years to come.

 Admittedly, most young husbands are not handsome, prince-like beings, but their imperfections will be probably be overlooked if they try to adopt the above personality traits. In all fairness, young wives will not always look or act like perfect princesses either. That's when fidelity, love, partnership, tolerance and humor must be evident in the behaviors of both spouses.