Happily

Happily: 8 Commitments of Couples Who Laugh, Love and Last by Kevin Thompson

Thanks to Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, for sending me this book to review.  I give this book 3.5 stars.  It is a book about marriage and what needs to be done in order to work on marriage to keep it together.  I really enjoyed the beginning of the book as I felt much of the material about marriage was applicable to my life and actually many of the topics could be used in regard to friendships too.  Each chapter is a specific topic and then followed by questions at the end of the chapter to think about and journal on by yourself or with your spouse.  For example, Happily Embrace the Hurt  chapter is about just that- marriage isn't always fun, love, happiness.  There will be some hurt involved.  

pg 56- One of the guarantees of love is loss.

pg 57- To say "I do" is not only vowing to love but agreeing to hurt.

The answer to this "hurt" is "appreciation".  He feels appreciation is vital aspect of marital satisfaction.  

I started to not be in total agreement within the last chapter or two.  I have friends and colleagues that are men and I never think twice about talking to them, hanging out with them and not having my husband present.  The author wrote in regard to "practicing the commitment" ... pg 178 " For example, we won't eat alone with a person of the opposite sex, we won't ride along in a car with a person of the opposite sex, we will share passwords on social media accounts." These "rules" are his and his wife's, but it just made me think there is a lack of trust if you have to have these types of rules.  Not the way I would choose to be committed to my marriage.  Really some good points just the ending was a little not "Me".