Marriage Secrets From Couples Married 25 Years or More

Keep the North Star in Sight

The Couple: Brenda and James Mitchell, Cheltenha, Maryland 

Married: 32 years

Brenda’s Advice: “It was important for us to commit to the journey we decided to take together. In hindsight, we did not have a clue about how that would look but we were determined to see it through—divorce was never an option. With that being our north star, so to speak, we had to constantly condition ourselves to do the things that contribute to a healthy marriage and be equally committed to NOT doing the things that would deter us from our mark. We did not know the road or the way but we were committed to taking the journey together. We are now empty-nesters, and excited about this new phase. I now believe that by speaking and affirming out loud that divorce would never be an option for us, it came into being.”  

Mitch’s Advice: “Start your marriage with dedicated dating time and then schedule time for yourself. Thursday night has always been our date night—during the first six years of marriage without children and then throughout the 20 years, our two children were at home. We’re approaching our thirty-third anniversary and date night still stands strong. The first and third Thursdays of the month we date each other, the second and fourth Thursdays is our time to be alone or be with friends or family.”