When you find somebody you love, all the way through, and she loves you— even with your weaknesses, your flaws, everything starts to click into place. And if you can talk to her, and she listens, if she makes you laugh, and makes you think, makes you want, makes you see who you really are, and who you are is better, just better with her, you'd be crazy not to want to spend the rest of your life with her. (Carter Maguire)

I'm not married,— he said softly, —because I can't stomach the idea of marrying a woman inferior to me in mind and spirit. It would mean the death of my soul.

I had no illusions about you,' he said. 'I knew you were silly and frivolous and empty-headed. But I loved you. I knew that your aims and ideals were vulgar and commonplace. But I loved you. I knew that you were second-rate. But I loved you. It's comic when I think how hard I tried to be amused by the things that amused you and how anxious I was to hide from you that I wasn't ignorant and vulgar and scandal-mongering and stupid. I knew how frightened you were of intelligence and I did everything I could to make you think me as big a fool as the rest of the men you knew. I knew that you'd only married me for convenience. I loved you so much, I didn't care. Most people, as far as I can see, when they're in love with someone and the love isn't returned feel that they have a grievance. They grow angry and bitter. I wasn't like that. I never expected you to love me, I didn't see any reason that you should. I never thought myself very lovable. I was thankful to be allowed to love you and I was enraptured when now and then I thought you were pleased with me or when I noticed in your eyes a gleam of good-humored affection. I tried not to bore you with my love; I knew I couldn't afford to do that and I was always on the lookout for the first sign that you were impatient with my affection. What most husbands expect as a right I was prepared to receive as a favor.

I really don't see anything romantic in proposing. It is very romantic to be in love. But there is nothing romantic about a definite proposal. Why, one may be accepted. One usually is, I believe. Then the excitement is all over. The very essence of romance is uncertainty. If ever I get married, I'll certainly try to forget the fact.

The real reason a husband and wife always fight is because they always focus on the ugliness in each other and have forgotten to focus on the beauties that attracted them at first.

Like fingerprints, all marriages are different.

The happiness of married life depends upon making small sacrifices with readiness and cheerfulness.

When a man seduces a woman, it should, I think, be termed a left-handed marriage.

I saw in this barren garden a picture of life-the life I would live cut off from everything that had delighted me and consoled me in my melancholy childhood. I turned from the window with a heavy heart and avoided the garden for a long, long time.

Let no believing man hate his believing wife; if he is displeased with one trait of her character, let him be pleased with another that is within her.

A happy marriage is the union of two good forgivers.

It is not lack of love but lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages.

A great marriage is not so much finding the right person as being the right person.

Often the difference between a successful marriage and a mediocre one consists of leaving about three or four things a day unsaid.

A perfect wife is one who doesn't expect a perfect husband.

It is the woman who chooses the man who will choose her.

My wife makes me better than I am.

It takes two to make a marriage a success and only one to make it a failure.

If marriage were only bed, we could have made it.

Before marriage, a girl has to make love to a man to hold him. After marriage, she has to hold him to make love to him.