"I have no way of knowing whether or not you married the wrong person, but I do know that many people have a lot of wrong ideas about marriage and what it takes to make a marriage happy and successful. I'll be the first to admit that it's possible that you did marry the wrong person. However, if you treat the wrong person like the right person, you could well end up having married the right person after all. On the other hand, if you marry the right person, and treat that person wrong, you certainly will have ended up marrying the wrong person. I also know that it is far more important to be the right kind of person than it is to marry the right person. In short, whether you married the right or wrong person is primarily up to you."
-Zig Zigler
I just thought it was interesting because it ties back to what we talked about concerning adaptation/alteration in love, love changing, people changing, etc etc...Anyways if anyone has any responses I'd love to hear. If not that's fine too, I just thought it made an interesting "companion quote" with what we talked about.
Thanks, Launi. I, too, thought the discussion today was really worthwhile and thought-provoking, and I appreciate this quote. I think it adds a different dimension to our discussion; that is, it puts the focus on being the right person as opposed to finding the right person. I, too, would be interested in hearing anyone's thoughts on/reaction to this point.
ReplyDeleteLauni, this is so true. I love how empowering it is because it puts the focus on the individual to make out of their situation what they are willing to. The idea that personal happiness is dependent on finding the right person to make us happy is almost like saying that we aren't capable of finding personal happiness on an individual basis. Any situation, be it love or employment or friendship, can be successful or atleast fulfilling in some way if we choose to make it happen. Humans are typically capable of so much more than we give each other credit for. What's that old saying about lemons and lemonade? =) I'm pretty sure it applies to your point as well. Thanks for the quote!
ReplyDeleteLauni,
ReplyDeleteI work at and assisted living facility and I have the advantage of hearing many love stories, how couples met and what first attracted them. Some of their beginnings are very shallow. One gentleman said he first knew he wanted to marry his wife when he saw her legs. While many of the women say they got married because their husbands were good providers. But all of them have one thing in common; life eventually taught them what real love was. Another gentleman remembers the moment he knew he had married the "right" women was when she ran through a puddle of mud to hug him after his long absence. One of our ladies said she knew she married the "right" man after a course in radiation therapy. I think life can show us many truths, especially about love. But I think this is why it's such a debatable subject, everyone has different experiences, some of them hold common value, and some things are very unique to the individual. What will break some couples will make others. Thank you for sharing your quote, I really enjoyed it! Is it from a book? If so I would like to know the name so I could read it.
That is an awesome quote thanks for sharing! I was a little back and forth as well sitting there in the class discussion listening to every different opinion about love and marriage. However I would have to agree one hundred percent with what Zig Zigler said. The only thing we have control over is ourselves; we draw in those we associate with and ultimately marry by being the kind of person we as individuals decide to be. Also, we have a great deal of control in determining our own happiness. There is always a choice to be happy or not and a choice to be happy with those around you.
ReplyDelete