After 35 years of marriage, a husband and wife came for counseling. When asked what the problem was, the wife went into a tirade listing every problem they had ever had in

their marriage. She went on and on: neglect, lack of intimacy, emptiness, loneliness, feeling unloved and unlovable, an entire laundry list of unmet needs she had endured over the course of their relationship.

Finally, after allowing the wife to vent her frustrations, the therapist turned to the husband and asked, “What do you have to say for yourself?” The husband sat quietly for a moment, gathering his thoughts. Then, in a calm and steady voice, he said, “I love my wife. And I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make things right.”

The therapist could sense the sincerity in the husband’s words and the depth of his commitment to his marriage. It was clear that despite the years of neglect and misunderstandings, there was still a strong foundation of love between them.