A problem that we have amongst us that I have noticed is that when we read about rights and duties we generally read about our rights upon others and their duties towards us, and not our duties towards others and their rights upon us. Especially in the case of spouses.
To expect commitment, hard work, kindness, effort, and the fulfillment of the other’s rights from just one person are not what marriage is about. Marriage is a two-way street. The effort and hard work have to come in from both spouses. The degree of required effort may vary depending on situations, but there has got to be an overall balance. If one has to be forgiving, the other does too. If one has to be respectful, the other does too. If the emotional, physical, spiritual needs of one are to be met, the needs of the other have to be met as well.
Marriage requires constant work, constant care, constant attention, and these come from both partners. This bond has to be nurtured every step of the way- not just through grand gestures, but with the little smiles, the seemingly small thank yous, the little appreciative remarks and compliments. It’s a symbiotic relationship; both partners feed off of each other; you give them good, and you’ll get good back. It isn’t hard, it just needs effort. We shouldn’t just expect our partners to put in all the effort, we need to do our part as well.