The Essence of Genuine Friendship in Marriage

Every expert, marriage counsellor or therapist have their own list of the qualities of a good marriage. There are two words, though, that has consistently stayed on almost every relationship advice, articles and columns about happy marriages: true friendship. Love and sex are equally important, but it is true friendship that binds a marriage strong, like a rock that can weather any storm. When a couple knows each other inside out—from each other’s likes and dislikes, hopes, ambitions, habits and mannerisms—then what they have is genuine friendship. Friendship is simply the foundation of a strong and happy marriage. To elaborate further, here are a few reasons why it is essential in a marriage.

A marriage built on friendship will be filled with wonderful memories of laughter and humour. In the dating world, it’s pretty usual for singles to look for a mate with a sense of humour. After all, a humorous person is always more attractive than a sulky one right? This quality is even more important because a couple who knows how to laugh together amidst life’s everyday chaos can lighten tense situations and ease each other’s stresses. This kind of fondness between couples creates a relaxed intimacy that can ultimately bring happiness even in the later years. One area in marriage that often creates conflict is communication.

Men and women say and perceive things differently, making communication all the more important. If a married couple are the best of friends and the closest of companions, it’s easy to have an open and honest communication. It is the type of union where each person’s comfort level goes beyond 100%, and what one says or do will not be judged or taken negatively. Although being married can lessen one’s sense of separateness, it doesn’t mean that people will never experience loneliness. A strong friendship in a marriage creates feelings of kindness and devotion when the couple have their interests at heart.

They will support one another and are less likely to betray each other. They will do everything they can to make the relationship work, and be each other’s staunchest supporter. Friendship makes the bond between spouses stronger, with the joys of shared memories, of nostalgia and plans for a wonderful life ahead. One fear that most couples harbor secretly is that their relationship would become boring and stale after a number of years. After all, doesn’t familiarity breed contempt? When a couple shares a genuine companionship, familiarity breeds content, not contempt. In turn, this contentment can bring about feelings of fulfillment, warmth and unwavering assurance in a life shared together in love and friendship.

Friendship makes life easier to handle, and makes a marriage infinitely richer in all aspects. It is the unbreakable tie that binds two people. Couples who have stayed happily married are those who understand what true friendship is all about. It creates a deeper trust in marriage—couples know that they can depend on each other especially through the bad times, and this creates a peace of mind and a sense of tranquility in the relationship. Yes, love is important, however, it can be less permanent (people can fall in and out of love a number of times). A genuine friendship is more durable, so make your spouse your best friend for life!