Post Anniversary Thoughts...

In celebration of our twelfth wedding anniversary, let me share this excerpt from Eric Maisel's The Creativity Book

"What are the contours of a good intimate relationship? Every successful intimate relationship rests on the following twenty building blocks. Both partners commit to:

1. The care of each other's solitude
2. The maintenance of emotional security
3. The maintenance  of meaning
4. The maintenance of passion
5. The creation of at least occasional happiness
6. A gentle demanding of discipline from oneself and one's partner
7. A gentle exchanging of truths
8. An acceptance of the limits of the human
9. A minimizing of one's own unwanted qualities
10. The support of each other's career and creative life
11. The maintenance of friendship
12. A monitoring of moods in oneself and one's partner
13. An acceptance of difficulties
14. A commitment to one's role as ethical witness
15. The management of one's own self, life, and journey
16. Careful communicating
17. A bringing of one's creativity to the partnership
18. The maintenance of a present and a future orientation
19. Fair treatment of oneself and one's partner
20. The creation of a safe environment"

I understand most of the concepts, except for "one's role as ethical witness", but I certainly get the gist. And I would like to add a rule no. 21. Here it is:

 21. The maintenance of an incorruptible, unbreakable sense of humor

As for us, we are getting there, getting there... Though I think that even when we are in our dotage I might still occasionally adopt my screechy fishwife tones and DH will still go ballistic to the point of bulgy-eyeness. So much for gentleness! But there is no one else I would rather do this whole thing with and I think THAT is what really matters!!!

What do you think? And if anyone can make out what building block no. 14 means, please let me know! ;)