| 2.
Respect.
You chose this person as your
partner in life. Respect |
| him or her above all else. Never
take your
partner for granted. |
| |
| 3.
Trust. Trust your partner, and never doubt them.
Never question |
| their integrity.
Without trust, there is no relationship. |
| |
| 4.
Honesty.
Always tell your partner exactly how you feel. Never hold |
| back and
never lie. Little white lies multiply like little white rabbits. |
| |
| 5.
Talk.
Communication is the key to understanding. Explain why you |
| feel how you do.
Don't sulk. Keep the lines of communication open. |
| |
| 6.
Listen.
Try to listen as much as you talk. When your partner speaks, |
| concentrate
on him or her. Stop what you are doing, face them, and give |
| your full attention. Provide feedback so they know you got the message. |
| |
| 7.
Vent.
Vent your frustrations. Make a game of it. Alert your partner |
| — with a
pet phrase or gesture — that you need an escape valve.
Play out |
| a mock scenario until you feel better. Never hurt your partner by taking |
| your
frustrations out on them. |
| |
| 8.
Ease Up.
Laugh at yourself at least as much as you laugh at others. |
| Never take yourself too seriously.
None of us are quite as perfect as |
| we like to
think we are. When you feel a confrontation
approaching, |
| diffuse it with a little humor. |
| |
| 9.
Make Up.
Never go to bed angry. Always make-up first. Arguments |
| will end
more quickly, and you will sleep better. Above all, don't keep |
| score.
Forget about
it and get on with your lives. |
| |
| 10.
Compromise.
Learn to compromise. No one is right 100 percent |
| of the time,
and no one can always have their way.
Give and take; try |
| to meet each
other
halfway. After all, true love is fifty-fifty. |
| |
| |
 |
| |
| |
| Ron and Irmi Karpinski |
| September, 1990 |
| |
| |
 |