What Pets Can Teach You About Marriage
Well, it’s no secret that us pets offer one of the best sources of unconditional love around. Always ready with a wet kiss or a purr to help smooth out a rough day, I’ve come to discover that humans don’t behave like us when it comes to many relationships. When you think about it, we can probably teach you a lot about marriage and the way relationships can work.
Puppy Love
When was the last time that your husband bowled you over at the door because he was soooo very excited to see you? When have you shared a big mistake you made to your spouse and it was met with an non-judging lick across the face? And, if your pet did something bad, like eat through your favorite pair of shoes, you don’t typically hold a grudge forever and go without speaking for weeks at a time, do you? Wouldn’t it be nice to have your mate simply curl up next to you when you’ve had a bad day or just need quiet companionship? Well, pets already know how to do that. Why don’t you?
How To Spread The Love
The fact is that pets know how to treat their “parents” and typically we get better treatment than some spouses, all for only a few dog treats. Maybe if spouses began to act more like pets, things would be a bit different. Dr. Phillips agrees. In a recent article, clinical psychologist Suzanne B. Phillips of Long Island University discusses this very thing. Here are her suggestions on improving interpersonal relationships:
Greetings: Sometimes when spouses return home from work, they barely receive a hello. Not that there’s animosity, there’s just a nonchalant atmosphere. But, even on bad days, we greet our pets with a happy, animated hello, and usually a pat on the head or a hug.
Holding grudges: When our pets annoy us by wrecking the furniture or soiling the floor, we don’t stay mad at them. Granted, conversations/interactions between adults are much more complex than those with pets. But, still there has to be a way to find forgiveness.
Assuming the best: When our pets make mistakes, we don’t take it personally. We give them the benefit of the doubt. Yet when our spouse does something wrong, we often react with anger and blame instead of assuming they had the best intentions even though they fell short.
While I in no way do I want to assert that pets have this whole relationship thing locked up, but making these few simple changes would be a good way to start building a happier, healthier relationship.
