The practice of "marrying up" might be looked down upon by some, but when you're talking age, it might be the key to a happy marriage. A recent study showed that the couples who were happiest and had the lowest divorce rate were those where the woman was at least five years younger than her husband -- and when she's better educated. More from Lemondrop: A Rose a Day Keeps the Divorce Lawyer Away

But it doesn't work both ways. The same study claims that when the wife is older by five or more years, the couple is three times … Read More

There is a pervasive myth in our society that a good marriage is like living on easy street. People have the misperception that there's never or rarely any tension in a happy marriage. In my experience, nothing could be further from the truth. But one thing that separates a good marriage from a bad one is the willingness of both partners to communicate openly, especially when it would be more comfortable to clam up and shut down. How To Communicate Effectively
I've been married for eighteen years. During that time, we had one tremendously rough patch in which … Read More

The discussion of the trials and tribulations of long-distance relationships is not a new one. Some swear a couple can survive the distance while others refuse to entertain the possibility that two people can stay connected when there is significant mileage between them. I used to be a bit of a compulsive long-distance dater. My first two serious relationships were with British boys, which would soon later develop into a habit of only getting involved with foreign guys. Until recently I never questioned if getting involved in a relationship which is destined to be mostly long-distance was … Read More

It is possible to share too much.

That's according to an article on the Wall Street Journal's website. And if you didn't believe the article, reading the comments by wsj.com readers is great proof.

First, about the article.

The article details a fight over a sponge between a Arizona couple. There was a sponge left in a sink which led to an argument and accusations about bad housekeeping, among other things. In this scenario, the woman called her boyfriend's bud to come over and calm him down.

Now, our first thought is, "Really? This was the chosen path?" … Read More

One of the best perks of working on this site is getting to hear other people's love stories. All too often, I think we believe in a myth of how love is supposed to work. But in truth, it works differently for different people. Love is not a rigid set of dos and dont's, rather its a process of committment, hope, failure, and getting up and trying again. In response to "12 Relationship Red Flags" Raymond James Thibault shows us how love worked and didn't work for him:

I'm a 55 year old Army Veteran. I am Divorced, lasted … Read More

Road trips can be full of adventure and discovery, from figuring out where the nearest available bathroom is to finding the cheapest diner. As Timesunion.com points out, a road trip can be the perfect way to bond with your partner, using those long uninterrupted hours to uncover the name of his imaginary childhood friend or finally getting him to spill about his secret dream to be on Dancing With The Stars. Read: DWTS: Passion On The Dance Floor…And Off?
 
Be warned, however. Road trips can also be long, tiring, and bring out the grouch in everyone. Here is … Read More

These real-life couples have been in the marriage trenches and they're still laughing, smiling, having a ball. Here, their secrets to making love last for the long haul.

"We're best friends. You really have to like each other to last. When the sex becomes less important you better enjoy doing things together (while still doing things apart). We drive for days to car shows sometimes. So we better like each other." Ralph has been married to Teresa for 17 years.

"A key to success was my willingness to give up the home decor I had brought into our Read More

In response to "I Was A Lonely Newlywed" user jnj1106 gives us this nugget of advice:I know it's hard to feel alone, but I believe that the point of
marriage is to better enrich eachothers lives, and support eachother's
ambitions and goals...which may in turn lead to some lonely nights
while they are attaining them. I am married to an active duty Marine,
so I completely understand what it feels like to literally be alone in
a random state for months on end without seeing my husband, and
sometimes without speaking to him due to his job. We have been together
for 10 years, and … Read More

The recession will affect relationships in different ways, and just how couples deal with economic turmoil will depend on a multitude of factors. While the prevailing tone of this roundup (of perspectives on what happens to couples as they wade through financial woes) by the editors at The New York Times is a tad negative, a few panelists shed light on positive points. Here are those that rose to the fore:

Talking through the tough times can strengthen relationships, pointed out Pepper Schwartz, a sociology professor at the University of Washington. "A bad economy can force people to take up these difficult conversations. If couples … Read More

Going to couples therapy wasn't something my boyfriend or I had to wrangle the other into. Our rough patch was more like a slick of black ice, and we were careening towards a precipitous ending. We had moved in together almost a year earlier, and couples therapy seemed easier than breaking up. It would at least buy us time to figure out how to split our belongings while I looked for my own place in New York City.

I went into counseling thinking Ryan had to change. If he didn't fix at least eight of the things that were … Read More