My husband and I recently celebrated our 37th wedding anniversary. I always get asked questions about marriage and relationships. Even though I have many opinions on these matters, I am often reluctant to talk about them.I do not like giving relationship advice to either my peers or the younger generation. This is simply because each person’s situation is unique, and what works in one context might not work in another due to many variables.
Sometime in 2017, I received an email from a young man who claimed I was always championing the cause of women, and he wanted to know,‘What advice do you have for men? I am getting married soon and I don’t want to get into trouble. How can I be a good husband?’. In response to his question, I wrote a Loud Whispers article called ‘How to be a good husband: Ten suggestions’.We are always telling women how to be good wives. Men are always looking for ‘Wife Material’. Even someone who cannot afford five yards of material wants ten yards. Women have the right to be on the lookout for ‘Husband Material’ as well. This is why I have renamed this old essay ‘Husband Material’.Every marriage involves two human beings and not one person on a perpetual ego trip. It takes two mature, respectful and compassionate people, who love each other, to make a marriage work.
