What three things about you made your marriage to a RW a success?

[RacerX]

Well I've noticed that the thread immediately above has been taken a bit off topic by leaning more towards characteristics rather than things you did, so I wondered - for all the married guys/girls and maybe even those who think they have what it takes:

What three things about you made your marriage to a RW a success?

[Voyageur]

Well, I am not sure that I can claim to be successful at my six-month marriage...I am happily married and I was just tempted to write "my patience" three times...:?.  BTW, my wife would say that she is very patient also with me:)

But, I will say these three traits:

1. An open mindness to other culture - the world does not stop on the shores of the US.

2. Trustfulness - she knows that she can trust and depend on me.

3. Honesty - I have always been honest with her. Even when it hurts. I am thinking about my not-too-distant past, in previous relationships. I have told her everything, even when I knew it would create a short-term problem.  Because I believe that the most basic elelment in any marriage is Honesty.

[TigerPaws]

3. Honesty - I have always been honest with her. Even when it hurts. I am thinking about my not-too-distant past, in previous relationships. I have told her everything, even when I knew it would create a short-term problem.  Because I believe that the most basic elelment in any marriage is Honesty.

 Maybe I am opening a can of worms here but sometimes to much openness and honesty about events in your (a man's) past could easily be misunderstood causing more problems than simply keeping quite about them. Of course if you are asked a direct question usually a direct answer is the best but sometimes a slightly less colorful answer more diplomatically worded is the best option.
 
 We have been together almost 6 years now and we are still in the learning process about each other, things in each of our pasts which neither felt comfortable talking about have slowly over time come forth. Some of these experiences are frightening and painful to talk about but with time comes trust and understanding, just be careful not to overload your lady before she is ready to understand those dark secrets most people harbor.
 

[RacerX]

My three go something like this:

1.  Worldliness, as in the literal sense. I have traveled extensively enough, including around a dozen trips to the FSU, to have gained an appreciation that often Russians do things better than us.

2.  A sense of humor, aka: not letting the occasional cultural flare-up become a big deal.

3.  Treating her as an equal.  So often when I come in contact with a RW/AM couple the dynamics seem that of Father/daughter or you certainly know who the boss "thinks" he is.  I can confidently say this not true of our relationship.