I asked my parents-in-law, who celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary a few days ago, about their top lessons over the years. Their answers went beyond marriage lessons to life lessons. 

My mother-in-law said:

1.  Practise patience; it pays off.
2. Sometimes things don’t work out right when you want them to, but they eventually will. 
3. Respect is key to sustain relationships, especially in marriage.
4. Do good unto others and forget about it. Don’t expect them to return the favor. 

My father-in-law said:

1.  Faith is essential; it carried him through many hard days. When you feel like there is no way out, God always forges a path. He’s the one to give to our problems. 
2. Marital problems are private and should not leave the house. 
3. Since their engagement, he and my mother-in-law agreed to share people’s joys and sorrows by attending weddings and funerals. As importantly, they made sure to visit the sick, and people around them sincerely appreciated these meaningful habits.

Happy anniversary dear ones. We are blessed to have you. May you enjoy a long healthy life and keep spoiling our kids.