Drama

One of the greatest challenges facing a couple in a committed relationship is how to keep passion and romance alive. Kids, jobs, the house and the various pressures of life tend to wear down a marriage.

Is there such a thing as keeping the magic in marriage? When you fall in love, the magic is there, inside you, around you, between you and your beloved, and it feels wonderful. You forget all your petty problems, you glow, you are transformed into a being of beauty, passion, desire, compassion, and happiness. You become interesting and interested, giving and receiving.

I used to fall in love. It's something I did a lot when I was single. Then I got married. Sure I loved my husband. But I wasn't falling in love. I'd already fallen. I was standing straight up. I could see the sky and the floor and my husband. And you know what? I wasn't too crazy about what I saw. Because what I saw reflected me. If he talked with egg salad in his mouth, I worried that people would think I was a slob too.

Marriage often becomes routine. As the couple raises children, they may feel exhausted, and be less willing to give to each other, support each other and listen to each other with deep caring.

This functional drama shows how good communication and deep intimacy in a relationship help a couple face a very delicate problem. Sexual issues are often a very sensitive area for couples. When there are sexual problems or difficulties and the partners do not openly discuss these problems, the couple may develop theories and suppositions about the nature of the difficulty. These are not necessarily based on reality or on correct information but instead often reflect the fears and anxieties of each partner.

Jack, 56, and Rose, 49, have been married for 25 years. They have three children aged 24, 21 and 19. Rose works as a financial advisor in a bank. Jack is a lawyer in a private office

One of the greatest challenges facing a couple in a committed relationship is how to keep passion and romance alive. Kids, jobs, the house and the various pressures of life tend to wear down a marriage. The result is a conflict situation like the one confronting Steve (44) and Elizabeth (41).

Most everyone has experienced the feeling of jealousy. It isn't much fun. When it occurs on a regular basis in an intimate relationship, it can drive a wedge between the couple. For a marriage to succeed and grow, there needs to be a basis of trust. Mimi and Carter have begun a discussion here and Mimi has set a ground rule for how often Carter can call her while she visits her sister with the children. However, this conversation is anything but a resolution of the problem.

Mimi: Again you're doing this? Every single summer we go to my sister's house and every single summer I get the same jealous speech from you.

Carter: What do you mean I'm jealous?