Look-Alike Couples

I’ve heard that if couples are married long enough, they start to look like one another. I’m not sure if that’s true, but I think couples do often look like the other couples they hang out with.

It may feel more comfortable to be friends with someone who’s just like you, but you’re depriving your marriage of a great chance to grow. Maybe the couple you spend the most time with is also newly married, or is raising teenagers, or is retired. Relating to someone in the same place in life as you or who has common interests is easy. You can empathize with each other about career challenges, share the highs and lows of parenting, or compare favorite music, movies, and hobbies.

But I’d like to get you to consider another perspective. There’s tremendous value in spending time with a couple who is different from you. An older couple can share their years of wisdom with a younger couple and help them develop some long-term stability in their marriage. And younger couples have a lot to offer, too. They can bring a sense of energy to the friendship or help an older couple feel younger and more revived in their own relationship.

To add a deeper layer of richness to your marriage, build a friendship with another couple who doesn’t see life the same way as you. Their different perspective can challenge you to grow, and it just might create the spark you need to strengthen your marriage for years to come.