Rotary Club of Plimmerton
Les Callear gave us his Viewpoint tonight about marriage. He said,
'My viewpoint is about marriage.
'I have been married for 57 years. We were young when we married - about 12 years old. Fifty-seven years of marriage - to some this would be the equivalent of two life sentences so I think I have some experience of what makes a good marriage and I would like to share this with you.
'Looking around, I think some of you are in need of some good advice on marriage.
'So here is my advice:
- you should treat your spouse with respect in all things
- you should always obey them
- you should never argue with them - but if you do you should concede that they are right every time
- you should not embarrass them at any time - especially when they are with their friends
- you should always help them in whatever they do
- you should learn to cook and then cook meals for them when you can.
'Now ...
'My advice for the men is:
'Read a book.
'The book is Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus. This book explains how men are different from women and women are different from men. It explains how women and men see things differently, how they react differently, and how they approach and deal with things differently.
Here are some examples of this from the book:
- men are motivated when they feel needed. women are motivated when they feel cherished
- it is very difficult for a man to differentiate between empathy and sympathy. he hates to be pitied
- men need to remember that women want to talk about problems to get close and not necessarily to get solutions whereas a man will just look for a solution
- men argue for the right to be free while women argue for the right to be upset. in this men want space while women want understanding
'Finally, love is magical, and it can last if we remember our differences.
'So that's it - the book Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus.
'I am about two-thirds of the way through the book. Next week I am seeing my psychiatrist and my divorce lawyer.'