Parallel marriages

[scottie]

While divorce destroys about five in ten marriages, many of those couples who stay married settle into the emotional emptiness of marital mediocrity, creating what is called a parallel marriage. Couples in parallel marriages may share a house and a life, but they don't share their hearts. These couples often appear to be doing fine from the outside, but they are merely going through the motions.

How spot on is that quote? I think that's a perfect description of why so many people feel like marriage is a trap, and I'd say the majority (easily the majority) of couples I know are living in parallel marriages. My wife and I have been married for 13 years, and there have been spans where both her and I have seriously felt that emotional emptiness. But, we've identified it together and continually work to improve; the last two years have been the best of our marriage.

http://www.mormontimes.com/article/1...kindled-Part-1

[Surfah]

How spot on is that quote? I think that's a perfect description of why so many people feel like marriage is a trap, and I'd say the majority (easily the majority) of couples I know are living in parallel marriages. My wife and I have been married for 13 years, and there have been spans where both her and I have seriously felt that emotional emptiness. But, we've identified it together and continually work to improve; the last two years have been the best of our marriage.

http://www.mormontimes.com/article/1...kindled-Part-1

So do you think that if these couples exercised together they'd be able to reconcile or keep their marriages healthy?

[scottie]

So do you think that if these couples exercised together they'd be able to reconcile or keep their marriages healthy?

Without a doubt, IMO.

[BigPiney]

So do you think that if these couples exercised together they'd be able to reconcile or keep their marriages healthy?

I can't wait till my kids are a bit older and I can excercise with my wife. I would love to be able to take her on a long ride or even a 7 mile run. I am thinking 2 -3 years and we should be there.

[Surfah]

I can't wait till my kids are a bit older and I can excercise with my wife. I would love to be able to take her on a long ride or even a 7 mile run. I am thinking 2 -3 years and we should be there.

You should be good. They have pills for that now.

[clackamascoug]

Going on 27 years... someday's might seem to fit that category, but a lot of satisfaction comes from loyalty, dependability, and family unity. If we had zero kids, I don't see any way we'd continue to be married. Since we do have 5 kids, we parallel our lives and when we converge on eternal matters, it's all worth while, ten times over.

I think it's just natural. This coming week our family will all be together, and it will be Priceless Joy. And we don't even have grandkids yet.

[pellegrino]

So do you think that if these couples exercised together they'd be able to reconcile or keep their marriages healthy?

I love exercising with my wife. Every couple should exercise together as much as their schedule allows. I think I'm going to make a t-shirt that says "Exercise" on the front and then on the back it will say "Early and often." This would be my small part in bringing awareness to couples' exercise deficiencies.

[marsupial]

OK, why is this in The Gym? I guess I only skimmed the article. Did it really say working out together prevents marital problems?

[Surfah]

OK, why is this in The Gym? I guess I only skimmed the article. Did it really say working out together prevents marital problems?

I wondered the same. Which is why I replied to the OP as I did. But it seems that subtlety has been lost on everyone on this board lately.

[Babs]

Everytime I make reference to "my husband," the other students ask whether he moved down with me. When I look at them quizzically, they generally respond with, "Well, I only ask because my boyfriend decided to stay back in Kalamazoo/Spokane/Phoenix/etc, and I was just wondering if you guys decided to go long distance, too."

[I.J. Reilly]

Everytime I make reference to "my husband," the other students ask whether he moved down with me. When I look at them quizzically, they generally respond with, "Well, I only ask because my boyfriend decided to stay back in Kalamazoo/Spokane/Phoenix/etc, and I was just wondering if you guys decided to go long distance, too."

lol. They probably then tell you about how meaningful their long-term relationship has been. After all, they have been dating ever since they were both 21. They've made it this long year and they aren't going to give up without a fight.

[scottie]

OK, why is this in The Gym? I guess I only skimmed the article. Did it really say working out together prevents marital problems?

I picked The Gym cat. for "wellness".

[Babs]

lol. They probably then tell you about how meaningful their long-term relationship has been. After all, they have been dating ever since they were both 21. They've made it this long year and they aren't going to give up without a fight.

exactly. I didn't want to have to be the one to tell the poor girls (and one very socially inept guy) that they're not "going long distance" - that their significant other is simply dragging out a break-up.