12 Secrets to Having a Marriage That Lasts Forever

Those who play together stay together. Eat. Drink. Be merry! And stay married.

Sex is the one factor that separates your marriage from your other relationships, when you think about it. You have friendships that you are loyal to, just like your marriage. Since sex is the one differentiating factor, make it a priority and work affection into your marriage, however you both decide it should be.

Remember what it felt like to hold your spouse in front of your loved ones for the first time as a couple? It felt amazing and powerful. Like your love couldn't get any bigger than it was at that moment. Don't stop dancing.

If you can remember to laugh with each other, at each other, and at yourselves, you'll create a marriage that's solid as a rock.

When one partner wants to make a life change, the other always supports them. Encourages them. Wants the spouse to grow as an individual. Two strong people make for a strong couple.

It doesn't matter if the two are just taking a walk on a lazy weekend, planning an exotic vacation . . . or staying home each night. The forever marriage consists of two people who are committed to working it out, no matter what.

Spouses who are committed to each other know that forgiveness is key. Being loyal and sometimes "forgetful" of the other's flaws, like a puppy, makes for a happy marriage.

. . . sometimes. Being alone and having the space to be by oneself helps a person — and a partnership — grow.

Happily married people know that in order to go the distance, sometimes they've got to be willing to go along for the ride while the other partner takes the wheel.

The secrets to a lasting marriage aren't so complex, really. Make time for your partner and ask that he or she does the same.

The phone. The work. Whatever it is, make an effort to sit down and break some bread together. Have a meal. Make it leisurely sometimes. Happy couples do this for a lifetime.

The happy marriage lasts because two people think before they speak or act. They know that their partner's feelings are important. They know they must be cautious. This person's heart and opinion matter, greatly.