The Pope Blessed My Marriage
The Pope blessed my marriage 4 months ago. As a newlywed, here's what I've learned so far... -Love is a non-negotiable: Love is doing the good will of the other. Meaning intention and behavior is above all. So, ACTION is what truly matters, not feelings/emotions (even if they are valid). This idea bleeds into everything else. Example 1: Work is demanding and I need to work my best regardless of my current condition: sickness, physical pain, or feelings have been hurt). Since all work is for the Lord. That's what makes a good servant of God. Example 2: My son has embarrassed me many times in public. Normally a lot of other parents treat their kids less during the moment or take their frustrations out on them. This is called resentment and placing feelings/emotions above what actually matters. This is a great opportunity to teach him. Communication Improvement: Our communication style has changed. We removed filler words whenever we're addressing each other. Be as straightforward as possible to remove confusion. Example: Filler / vague: “I don’t know… you’re kinda being rude and it’s just making me feel some type of way.” No filler + verbs: “Lower your voice. Speak slower. Repeat your point without sarcasm.” This improves patience and forces the other person to be accountable for what they are communicating, resulting in helping each other improve. We try communicating like this before addressing a serious conversation: 1. Compliment - For a compliment to come off authentic it has to be true and during the moment. 2. Question - Ask for clarification with no negative connotation. 3. Reinforce - Reinforce her/him even if the belief or thought is wrong. ( Be on her/his side ) 4. Concern - Now with context address your concern. 5. Resolve - Solve the situation together. This form of communication resolves any bad conflict. I am still trying to get better. Only through repetition/consistency will this improve. This is a life-time commitment that comes with sacrifice. Being married young is an investment that compounds over-time.