Marriage and Marbles!

I like math, at least algebra anyway. I do pretty well with fractions, quadratic equations, but not so much with pi. Since its Father’s day weekend I am writing to you about math and your husband or potential husband. In fact, I've been pondering math all week. It all started as I was driving to work listening to the radio.

The smooth voice on the other end explained how he was going to place a marble in a jar for every Saturday he had left of his expected life span. Since he was over fifty … it wasn't a lot. Then, he was going to throw away one marble as each Saturday passed to remind him that his time was running out.

I've been thinking about marbles and math ever since. Let's apply this marble principle to marriage. Say we got a big jar and placed a marble in it for every Saturday for the length you would like your marriage to be. Let’s use 25 years, since only 33% of marriages in the U.S. reach that point. (25 years or 1250 marbles).

So if you have been married 13 years (like I have) you have about 600 marbles left in the jar. You with me? 25 minus 13 equals 12, times 50 equals 600. In the case of my marriage to Priscilla, our time together, the jar is little over half empty.

Only 600 Saturdays she has left to spend with me. That sounds like a lot, but it isn't. And if you have been married 15–years, you're down to 500 marbles.

The thing about marbles is that you can only use them once. If you waste one by arguing all day with your spouse, being away on business, or purposely spending your day apart … it's gone.

Right now, I'm holding a marble in my hand; it's this Saturday's marble. It holds a lot of promise. I long for this coming marble … I mean Saturday. I’m hoping for a day together at the Yankee game … but we might not be able to get a babysitter or the timing might not be good.

That's the thing about marbles. As husband and wife we hold them in our hands. We decide what we'll do with them, how we'll use them, and then, when we're done; we reach in the jar and toss them away.

That's why I as a relationship coach for Strive 2 Succeed Coaching Services work so hard to remind you of what's most important, because it all boils down to a jar full of marbles. I've set a jar of marbles on my desk to remind me that marbles matter.

Wives, let me encourage you to do a little math, and count how many marbles you have left with your husband. And then make this "marble" a good one.

For additional services or support, you can e-mail me at strive2succeed@comcast.net