My future husband | | |  | |Along the road from cradle to grave many of us get married. This in itself can cause more emotional disturbance than all the | |other events of our lives combined. Many factors make the difference between marital bliss and having “an old ball-and-chain” | |but the most important factor is probably whom we choose to marry. That is why I often meditate on the qualities I would seek in| |my future wife. |To be honest, the first thing I notice when I meet a girl is whether she is pretty or not. Long lashes and sparkling eyes do not| |cause someone to “fall in love at first sight”, of course, but few people go round seeking ugly mates. I am no different. | |Of course, I would also prefer to have a wife who is intelligent. Some men have the stereotyped “dumb blonde” image of a perfect| |woman. However, I know my life will be enriched by having an intellectually stimulating partner to share my thoughts with, and | |to offer fresh insights to old situations.

More importantly, a husband and wife should be intellectually matched so that they | |can understand each other. | |Sports and games and other recreational activities are fun and foster closer ties. Who better to enjoy sports with than my wife? | |This will draw us even closer together. A wife should, after all, be a true friend whom I can have fun with and want to spend my| |leisure activities with. So, my ideal mate will be someone who participates in the games and sports I like or at least, be | |willing to learn them. | |Often, quarrels between husband and wife concern other family members.

Your wife may be perfect but her parents may be | |irritating beyond comprehension. There was, for example, an incident in City Center where one man’s mother-in-law came to stay. | |One day, she cooked and ate his pet dog for dinner! So, I always say that one’s future in-laws should always be checked | |carefully before one makes decisions about marriage. | |If you are dead tired after a long, frustrating day at work, a loving wife who comforts you and listens to your problems can | |really make a difference.

So I would say, a sympathetic, caring kind of woman is the only one with whom I would make any | |commitments for marriage. | |Commitment is very important on her part, too. If a girl isn’t prepared to be faithful to you but she marries you anyway, | |chances are she’s going to run away and leave you one day, for your best friend, perhaps. | |I realize that I have listed a whole string of qualifications for my future wife. Well, if I can find all these qualities in one| |woman, I will really consider her The Ideal Wife. However, chances are, with a girl like that, everyone else will be trying to | |win her hand, too.

So, I’ll be in for a tough time! Furthermore, as the proverb goes, “The best laid plans of mice and men can | |fail”. More than likely, I will meet a girl one day, fall in love and get married. And even though she might not be perfect, | |I’ll love her, and, through the years, that might just be enough. | |  | |  | |  | | |