How to Have a Marriage Rooted in Love
For trees, roots bring nutrients to the trunk and branches. As the tree grows its roots extend deeper into the ground to create an entrenched base.
Marriage also has roots that begin to grow before a couple says "I do." According to the Greeks, there are three types of love that apply to the love between a married couple: Eros, Philos, and Agape.
Eros is based on a physical attraction and a romantic love.
Philos is based on friendship between two people. Philadelphia comes from the word Philos and gives the city its nickname as the "City of Brotherly Love." This love requires equality and familiarity.
Agape is an unconditional and self-sacrificing love. Agape is the type of love that appears most frequently in the Bible. Agape is used in John 15:12 when God says "love one another as I have loved you."
Of the three types of love, philos and agape never change. Although eros is an important element of marriage, it can fade over time. Friendship and unconditional love must always be present in a marriage and are key elements of a marriage rooted in love.
- Difficulty:
- Moderately Easy
Instructions
Things You'll Need
- man and woman
- 1
Be friends.
A marriage with a base in love requires a foundation of friendship. At the end of the day, you should be able to look at the person lying next to you in bed and say he is your best friend.A true friend is a support system and confidant. When you think of your best friend, you know she will always be there through good times and bad. Being friends is necessary to overcome the bumps and creates a strong foundation for a marriage.
- 2
Work as a team.
Being part of a team requires commitment, compromise, and sacrifice. All members of a team are equal, and each member contributes to the success of the whole.Agape requires you to make sacrifices for others, meaning the team has to come first to the individual players.
- 3
Look at the big picture.
Life is short. Difficult times that might seem like a formidable obstacle are miniscule tiles on the mosaic. When you stand back, you see the big picture of what all those tiles created. Difficult times make the team stronger, and joyous events are a reminder that two can do it better than one.Imagine you were given a month to live. You would look at the whole mosaic and remember the milestones: the anniversaries, the vacations, and the simple times spent together with your loved one. You would realize that love is dynamic and requires effort to grow. Most importantly, you would take comfort in knowing that happiness is being married to your best friend.
- 1
Read more: How to Have a Marriage Rooted in Love | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_4883830_marriage-rooted-love.html#ixzz1UIOGCxj2