In order to have a smooth ride in your automobile, it has to have a good suspension system. If you didn’t have a suspension system, you’d feel every single bump on your rump. Just like sitting on a skateboard and going down a large hill is no fun for the buns.
The suspension system is basically made of two parts, the springs and the shock absorbers. And through the interaction between these two, the ride is made much more comfortable.
In a marriage, women are like springs. They seem to exaggerate every small problem. They bounce all over the place. And they keep on bouncing long after what started it is gone. Men are like shock absorbers. They seem to have little reaction when things happen. If a mouse is scurrying across the kitchen floor, he definitely won’t be the one jumping on top of the kitchen table.
In order for a marriage to operate smoothly, each person needs to fulfill their role. During the bumpy times, it’s tempting for men to say, “Why can’t you be less emotional?” It’s also tempting for women to say, “Why can’t you be more compassionate, supportive, understanding, nurturing, sympathetic, and loving?” You can’t have a smooth ride with two springs and no shock absorbers. Neither will two shock absorbers and no springs do the trick. So, each person has to fulfill their own role and appreciate the different role the other has.
When the road is smooth, the suspension system doesn’t do much. Only when there are bumps and potholes do you see the suspension system in action. In a marriage, life is not going to be smooth all the time. Bumps will happen frequenty and the occasional crator will also show up. One temptation during these times of stress is to let go of the other (blow-ups, silent treatment, fights, abuse, divorce). What should be done is the opposite, the springs and shocks needs to hold on to each other more during the bumpy times. During these hard times, every effort needs to be made to hold on to each other. And eventually the smooth times will be come back.
So, a successful marriage requires each person to recognize and appreciate the different role each person has. Each person needs to remain connected to each other, especially during the bumpy times. And when these things happen, the ride on the journey of life is made much more smoother.
Links:
Suspension – Inner Car