M.A.S.H.

That's the piece of advice my dad gave me for a long and happy marriage...M.A.S.H. No nothing to do with the TV show from the 70's, but an acronym for "Mutual Affection, Sense of Humor." I adore my wife and have immense affection for her. I think of her beauty inside and out as well as her quirks...the whole package...and it gives me joy. Plus, as Cat says below, Susie and I get really silly together. Goofy names for each other, goofy voices we talk in, jokes, whatever it takes to make a smile break out, especially when the stress of life is on overdrive. I'll share one such crazy thing we do at the risk of having you dismiss us as "off the deep end." The first dog we owned as a couple was a little Fox Terrier mutt named Chipper. We loved that dog, he was our child before we had children. Now you dog owners will understand that we talked to Chipper and, yes, he talked back. We even made up a high-pitched voice for him that lives on, even though Chipper does not. To this day, when one of us says or does something stupid that might normally elicit a cross response from the other, the "voice" of Chipper comes out and says something like "I wouldn't go there Mr. know-it-all." I don't know if it's the silliness of us putting on a character voice or some of the unique "insights" Chipper can have about a situation, but "he" never fails to break a serious or dark tone. Hey, Chipper may not make YOU chipper, but get silly with your spouse today. You'll be amazed how it can take a little of the edge off life.--Scott