Courtesy

Years ago when men and women were courting/dating they followed different rules of etiquette than young people today. Men always opened doors for a lady. Men tipped their hats when they met a woman and removed their hats when in an elevator. Today men seldom wear hats! But there are still some simple rules to follow that improve any relationship before and after marriage. No matter what your age, I am sure that one of the earliest things you were taught was to say "Please" and "Thank you". Just continuing to say those simple words can really make a difference when dating and, more importantly, after marriage. Whenever I ask my husband to do anything, I always try to begin by saying please. He does the same thing for me. And when he does something, whether big or small, I try to say thank you. Even after 50 years, it still makes both of us feel better each day when we take the time to be polite. It shows that we respect each other and care about each others feelings. It also lets the other person know that you value what they do. Every single morning, sometime while we are eating breakfast, my husband will thank me for preparing such a nice meal. I would prepare it anyway, but it really makes me feel special when he does that. And here I must admit that in our household, my husband handles the dishwasher. He took over that task years ago. I always try everyday to thank him for handling that. These are just two examples of when there is an opportunity to be polite and keep our relationship healthy and happy. Try to find times in your relationship when you can say please and thank you and see if it does not make both of you feel better... and also very special.